SFPD Make Arrest in Mission Robbery 19-009

On January 13, 2019 at approximately 5:35PM, San Francisco Police officers from Mission Station responded to 24th Street and Mission Street regarding a robbery.

When officers arrived at the scene, they determined that the suspect had stolen a purse belonging to the victim, an 84 year-old San Francisco resident who had been in a fast food restaurant. When the victim attempted to retrieve her purse, the suspect engaged in a “tug of war”, with the victim, dragging her from the restaurant to the sidewalk. The suspect continued to pull on the purse, lifting her off the ground. The victim lost her grip and fell to the cement sidewalk

The suspect then fled across Mission Street and boarded a stopped Muni bus. Several witnesses and bystanders boarded the bus and detained the suspect until police arrived. The victim’s purse was recovered at that time. The victim told officers that she was not injured and refused medical attention.

The suspect, 43 year-old Oakland resident Anthony Terrell Sims was arrested and later booked into San Francisco County Jail for robbery, elder abuse, violation of the terms of his probation and for threatening an executive officer. Sims is on probation for a prior burglary conviction. The charge of threatening an executive officer stems from threats Sims made to kill one of the arresting officers in this case.

The San Francisco Police Department appreciates the assistance of the community members who saw the victim in distress and took action to detain the suspect. Their action prevented a violent suspect from escaping. While an arrest has been made, this remains and open investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD 24 hour tip line at (415) 575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.