Robert Dentley
Suspect Robert Dentley was arrested during the commission of an auto burglary at the Millberry Union garage on July 24. After an alert passerby reported a suspicious person looking into parked cars in the garage, Dentley was found by UCSF police inside a truck whose rear cab window had been pried open. This method of entry has been seen in several recent auto burglaries reported at the Milberry Union garage.
Dentley has been arrested in the past at UCSF. He has no legitimate purposes here, and the University has requested a court order prohibiting him from returning to UCSF. Please call the UCSF Police at 476-1414 if you see Dentley anywhere on UCSF property.
Armed Robbery at 4th and Channel Streets
Around 11:00 p.m. on July 16, a UCSF employee was robbed at gunpoint while walking from the Mission Bay campus on Channel Street at 4th Street. Two suspects, described as black males between the ages of 18-20, standing about 5'9 to 5'10", and wearing dark clothing and dark sweatshirts, approached her, grabbed her arm and demanded her purse. One of the suspects produced a pistol from underneath his sweatshirt. The victim threw her wallet onto the sidewalk, fled the area and called 911 from her cell phone; she was not injured during the robbery.
San Francisco Police responded and were unable to locate the suspects. No further suspect description was possible due to poor lighting in the area and the suspects' hooded sweatshirts obscuring their faces.
The Police Department offers the following personal safety tips:
* Travel in groups whenever possible, especially at night.
* Avoid poorly-lit or deserted areas when walking at night.
* Make use of the shuttle and escort services.
* Stay alert to your surroundings. Avoid headphone and cell phone use when
walking alone.
* Do not stop in response to conversation starters (e.g., asking for time
or directions).
* If you feel you are being followed, go into an open business and ask for
help.
* Keep emergency numbers pre-programmed into your cell phone (911, 476-1414).
* If you are faced with demands for your money or property, especially from
an armed subject, comply with their demands for the sake of your safety.
Stolen ATM Cards and Telephone Scams
Over the past several months, the Bay Area, including UCSF, has seen numerous instances in which thieves have utilized a phone scam in order to access accounts tied to ATM cards they have stolen. Typically, the scenario involves a phone call to the theft victim immediately after the initial crime has been committed. The caller will claim to be from the victim's bank, with notification of fraudulent account activity. The caller asks the victim to verify possession of the ATM card, and once the victim acknowledges it is missing, the caller asks for personal information, including the PIN number, in order to facilitate protection of the account. Once given the account information, the thief has full access to all funds.
A related scam involves a phone call regarding a misdelivered package. Victims are directed out of their work areas in order to meet an individual who has possession of a package supposedly addressed to the victim. While the victim's work area is left unattended, the thief will enter and steal valuables.
The Police Department offers the following tips to help you avoid telephone scams:
* Never give out personal information
over the phone, especially financial information, unless you have initiated
the call and/or know exactly who you are dealing with. Your financial institution
will never ask you for your PIN number on the phone, and they already have
your account numbers.
* If you are ever in doubt, ask for a
call-back number and verify it is legitimate before you speak to anyone.
* Immediately notify all of your financial
institutions if you are a theft victim. Please notify the UCSF Police Department
of any thefts occurring at work.
* Do not leave your work area to meet
an unknown person. Direct the caller to leave any items for you at a security
desk or public reception desk.
Related Links:
Police Report Carjacking at Mission Bay Campus
UCSF Today, July 9, 2007
UCSF Police Department
