SFPD Make Arrest in Auto Burglary Investigation

On July 25, 2015 just after 9:00 P.M., officers from Central Station responded to a reported auto burglary on the 500 Block of Market Street. Upon their arrival, the officers determined that the suspect had broken a window on a Chevrolet sedan and stolen a backpack containing a handgun and loaded magazine. In addition to stealing the gun which was in a locked safe box, the suspect also stole an article of clothing belonging to the victim. The officers reviewed images captured on a nearby surveillance camera system and, using a smart phone, took a screen shot of the suspect. An Inspector from Central Police Station’s Investigations Team (SIT) issued a crime alert containing the screen shot photo of the suspect and information about the burglary.

Later that evening, at approximately 11:42 P.M., officers from Tenderloin Station responded to a “man with a gun” call at a building on the 300 block of Ellis Street. Upon arrival, the Officers saw Lanzelle Green, male, 37, last known address of Vallejo, CA, asleep on a chair in the first floor hallway. The officers saw a handgun on the floor underneath Green. They slid the handgun away and out of Green’s reach. Green was then taken into custody. The handgun was determined to be loaded, with the hammer in the “cocked” position.

During their follow up investigation, the patrol officers from Tenderloin Station used information in the Central Station crime alert to connect Green to the Market Street auto burglary. The officers determined that serial number of the recovered gun matched that of the weapon stolen earlier in the evening. They also determined that Green was wearing the clothing stolen from the victim’s vehicle and that Green was still wearing the clothing that he wore during the crime, as depicted in the crime alert bulletin.

Green, who frequents the Tenderloin, is on probation in San Francisco County for a 2014 burglary. He has numerous police contacts dating back to 1996 including several convictions for narcotics violations, burglary, and possession of stolen property including a prior conviction for possession of a firearm.