Vigilante's ambush collars S.F. suspect

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 06-25-02 | David Parrish

[Boonie Rat]

When San Francisco police said they couldn't spare an officer to arrest a man suspected of stealing Tom Van Lokeren's credit cards and checks, the 47-year-old North Beach tax accountant took matters into his own hands.

Van Lokeren bought a large fishing net at Fisherman's Wharf, some pepper spray and a stun gun at a military surplus store and then lured the suspect into a trap on a busy downtown street.

[Joe Brower]

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[Bigg Red]

I can't say I blame the guy, but does anyone else have a little suspicion of the nephew?

[hopespringseternal]

I am suprised the worthless secretaries with guns didn't arrest Van Lokeran. Not only do they refuse to enforce the law, they go after anyone who does try.

If someone is running from the police, do not try to help the cops apprehend him. You will get a worse beating than the perp.

[Tacis]

I spent some time in downtown SFO recently and was amazed at how many of these hustling bums were on the street, acosting tourists, sleeping on the busy sidewalks, and blocking the ability of others to move from one place to another, especially around the BART stations near Market and around 7th and near Powell.

I mentioned my observations to a number of locals. They said, "Oh, the homeless," as though that explained everything and justified everything these bums did. The lefties and liberals out there have people so indoctrinated and the police so freightened that almost every reprobate and petty criminal (if he looks scruffy) is automatically described as "homeless" and almost every crime committed by the "homeless" is automatically excused as a social problem rather than a police matter. These guys are (if they haven't already) really going to put a dent in the tourist business. The cops in this story are very typical in their response.

[Mr. Bird]

"It's not a life-threatening situation," the captain said. Van Lokeren and his nephew made a mistake, turning a property crime into a potentially violent confrontation, he said. "You don't put yourself in harm's way because you don't like the way the police handled it. What if this guy did have a gun -- and you only have net," Dudley said. "We certainly don't encourage the public to make their own arrest. That's our job."

This is comical. The police did anything but "handle" it. If it's the cops' job, then they were derelict. This account indicates numerous attempts by Van Lokeren to relinquish the responsibility to the "authorities".

[LibKill]

Really makes you wonder what S.F. citizens are paying their taxes for.

[stripes1776]

San Francisco is a rat hole. I don't advise anyone taking a vacation there unless you like to be hassled by street bums demanding money. And watch where you step. That isn't dog dodo on the sidewalk. The sidewalk is the toilet for the bums.

[judgeandjury]

He was unaware of Van Lokeren's repeated requests for assistance, Dudley said, but his officers are constantly busy responding to calls that often involve emergencies and violent crime.

Wow, there must be a lot of emergencies and violent crimes taking place in San Francisco 24/7 if the police department can't spare one officer to assist Mr. Van Lokeren. I better make sure that I don't ever vacation in San Francisco because it sounds like a very dangerous city.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

Did he get the money from the arrest warrent?

[The KG9 Kid]

It can be.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Really makes you wonder what S.F. citizens are paying their taxes for.

Hey don't go so hard on them. They are making progress down there in S.F..

They are actually rounding up the shopping carts from the homeless now and returning them to the stores.

I saw a news show thing on this a few months ago. They collect the carts, about 400 every other day, and return them to the stores. They then house the property of the bums in a fenced lot for 90 days so the bums can come get their stuff. If nobody picks up the stuff then it is discarded.

Here is where it gets really funny. They save the two liter bottles of urine (and the used needles as well) from the carts for 90 days just in case the bums come back for them! HA HA HA.

In case you don't believe it, I swear it's not a joke. It's funny but it ain't a joke.