Neighbor A. was robbed at gunpoint on Samoset Street in northeast Bernal on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at about 9:20 pm. Residents of the area say this is the third such incident there in recent months.
Neighbor A. tells Bernalwood:
It happened front of 27 Samoset. Two men out of a car, with two other men in the car. White four door. The one carrying the gun wore a black hat and jacket with jeans.
The one who grabbed me pointed the gun at my chest and said he was going to shoot me if I did not comply. After the robbery they headed north on Franconia.
This is the third robbery I’m aware of where a lone woman is walking/biking either up Alabama to our block or around Esmeralda to our block. Car sees the woman, drives around, people unload to jump her, then heads away usually North on Franconia.
I’ve been emailing with Sgt Chou about the getaway car. I’ve asked what the police strategy/plan is, but have not heard back yet.
Here’s a video of the perps captured from a neighbor’s security camera, with the white getaway car visible across the street. If you recognize the men, or have any further information, please contact the Sgt. Chou at SFPD Ingleside via (415) 404-4000.
Bernalwood 
I’m so sorry to hear about it, and glad you’re okay. At what time of day did this occur?
Neighbor A. says it happened at 9:20 pm. Will add that to the post above.
wasn’t there a shooting murder on cortland street last week? surprised there’s not more info on that available. any news?
Neighbor A – my dear friend, this just breaks my heart. You are brave to share with all of us. I’m so sorry it happened to you and to the others. Also reaching out to the neighbors I don’t know who’ve had to deal with these traumatic incidents. I’m just so sorry. I hope the SFPD can find the perpetrators & we can have some resolution.
There is a lot of creepy activity on Franconia around the dog run area between Samoset and Esmerelda- drugs, drinking, trash dumping, abandoned cars. The police have seemed ambivalent about coming out to do anything about it when contacted.
I live right by here. First, there have always been kids parked there in the evenings and on the weekends. That might be why the police have seemed ambivalent.
The dumping is super annoying, including that done by neighbors, like the pile of boards and nails dumped by the house across the street on Franconia a few months back. And the couch that surely came from a neighbor. I hate the glass and fast food trash from the folks in the cars so I help clean up the DPW lot early in the mornings of many days.
That is *not* a dog run. It’s a DPW lot that many of us, including myself, use to potty our dogs and help fill the adjacent trash can. We’re lucky it’s there but it’s not a dog run.
We are all somewhat responsible for how that lot, our sidewalks and this edge of the neighborhood are perceived and used. Personally, it works well for me. I converse with neighbors, help clean up and have a relaxed relationship with some of the kids that hang out there regularly. I can see folks being scared after robberies on our blocks up here, but in general, most of us are really, really lucky.
If we want to make some improvements to visibility and stairway access (Franconia at Peralta; Samoset at Peralta; Community garden) we should work together and contact DPW. They did some great work last weekend in the neighborhood. That effort up here would make the area a little less feral looking and give many of us a chance to meet each other. (I love the feral look myself, but acknowledge that there’s an issue up here that could be helped with some pruning and clean up.)
Maybe DPW could offer a service to take away material from neighbors who clear the sidewalks from their encroaching vegetation. Maybe some training or tool borrowing for neighbors to aid in pruning? It would be great to improve sidewalk access in this corner of the neighborhood, both on public and private lots. Visibility would make me feel safer when I’m on these blocks at 5am and 9pm with my own dog.
I’m so sorry to hear about your experience, both for the harm and fear caused to you and the fright this puts in my own heart. I have often walked Samoset and Franconia at night, with my dog, to get fresh air and exercise at day’s end. This and other reports make such activity foolhardy at best. Thanks for the warning!
Sorry this happened. What time of day?
The car is a Volvo S70. Late 90’s model. Wish I could read the plate.