Background

Carlin’s Cafe employee fights off thief 

Article arrow_drop_down


On Friday morning at around 6:45 a.m., a man walked into Carlin’s Cafe and attempted to steal a backpack from a customer — but cafe employee Nick Grant pounced to stop him before he could walk out. 

Security camera footage shared with Mission Local shows the man, wearing a black hoodie and a mask, walking into the cafe at 14th and Valencia streets. As soon as he grabs a customer’s backpack from the bench, Grant is seen running toward him, ramming a service cart into him and tackling him to the ground. 

During the altercation that ensued, the suspect pepper sprayed Grant and the customer. Eventually, Grant held the suspect down on the floor, lying on top of him, and remained in place for about six minutes — until police officers arrived at the scene. 

No one was seriously injured. 

“Luckily I had the background and training to be that right guy at the right time,” said Grant, who added that he was raised by Marines.  

Video shows the suspect walk in to Carlin’s Cafe and attempting to steal a customer’s backpack. Courtesy of Matt Carlin.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, the suspect was transported to the hospital for injuries unrelated to the incident. He was later booked and transported to San Francisco County Jail. 

Street view of a building with murals, featuring "Carlin's Cafe" and a laundromat under red and white awnings.
Carlin’s Cafe on 14th and Valencia Streets. Photo by Junyao Yang.

The following morning, Grant returned to Carlin’s for the opening shift and welcomed the same regular customer again, as well as a customer who was a bystander to Friday’s incident. “Before yesterday I just knew him as ‘ham egg and bagel guy’,” said Grant. “Now it’s a first name basis.” 

“He [Grant] didn’t want to take the day off. I tried to make him,” said Matt Carlin, the cafe’s owner, who lauded Grant for protecting the customer. 

“He was protecting a customer who was being assaulted with bear mace,” said Carlin. “We need more people like him.” 



Source: missionlocal.org

About the author

trending_flat
“My son was murdered in case of mistaken identity

The heartbroken mum of a teen murdered in a case of mistaken identity described the moment she found out her son had died - and how she couldn’t “protect him”. Nikki Knight’s son, Mason Rist, 15, and his friend, Max Dixon, 16, were “hunted down” and stabbed in a “revenge attack” after being wrongly identified as culprits of an earlier incident. The two pals were on their way to get a pizza when Anthony Snook, 45, arrived in his Audi with Riley Tolliver, 18, Kodi Wescott, 17, and two teenagers, aged 15, 16 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons. CCTV footage - from Nikki's house - captured the horrific 33 second attack which began when four youth jump of the vehicle on Mason's doorstep, just metres from her the family home in Knowle, Bristol, where he grew […]

trending_flat
Jim’s, Mission diner, will keep cooking under nonprofit ownership 

Fear not, we won’t be missing the beloved green salsa at Jim’s Restaurant for some time — breakfast is here to stay. Mission Local has learned that the Mission Language and Vocational School will take over neighborhood mainstay Jim’s, which invited customers in today for its last day in business under current ownership. This afternoon, a line was seen reaching the corner of the building at 20th and Mission streets, and the diner had to take a waitlist for people to get in. Mission Language and Vocational School, a nonprofit that offers workforce development and small business supportive services, will staff the restaurant with graduates from its catering program and culinary school.  The nonprofit will keep on Beto, the longtime cook. The owners, husband and wife Kim Ok Un and Kim Jung Nyun, are retiring. MLVS is expected to take over the restaurant […]

trending_flat
Lara Trump withdraws from consideration to replace Rubio in US Senate

By Jasper Ward(Reuters) -Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, said on Saturday she has removed her name from consideration to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.Rubio was picked by Trump to serve as secretary of state. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will pick a replacement for Rubio, who is expected to resign as senator when Trump takes office on Jan. 20.There was speculation that Lara Trump, who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in the lead-up to the 2024 election, would succeed Rubio in the Senate.Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inboxSee for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.However, in a post on X, Trump said she had decided to remove herself from consideration "after an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many.""I could […]

trending_flat
Burglars ransack Southern California homes while posing as deliverymen

Residents are frightened and angry as a group of suspects continue ransacking San Fernando Valley homes, leaving a trail of destruction behind.A Valley Village resident said she was stunned and shaken up after thieves targeted her home on Dec. 17 between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.The break-in was captured on home surveillance cameras as a male suspect approached the house and appeared to be disguised as a delivery man.“Ten minutes after we left [our home], someone was knocking at the door and our dog was barking away,” she said. “Then within a minute, someone had broken into the back of the house, smashed the glass door, came in and locked the dog in a room and just trashed the house. They took all of my jewelry.”Photos of the aftermath showed drawers in every room were removed and emptied and all […]

trending_flat
Jim’s owners retiring, leaving future of Mission diner unclear

The mom-and-pop owners of Jim’s Restaurant on Mission Street, a community staple for over three decades, will have their last day of work this Saturday, according to the restaurant.Jim’s Restaurant announced that its owners will be retiring after Saturday. It’s unclear, however, whether Jim’s will continue operating under new management. What is clear is it will no longer be the same without Ms. and Mr. Kim. The current owners, Kim Ok Un and Kim Jung Nyun, declined to comment about their retirement or whether Jim’s would continue operating.  An Instagram commenter says, “So so sooo happy for you guys!! So well deserved but Jim’s will never be the same without you”.Another says, “Legendary spot just up the street from KPOO. Thanks y’all for the decades of service to the community.”On Friday around noon, the restaurant at 2420 Mission St. between 20th and […]

Related

trending_flat
Jim’s, Mission diner, will keep cooking under nonprofit ownership 

Fear not, we won’t be missing the beloved green salsa at Jim’s Restaurant for some time — breakfast is here to stay. Mission Local has learned that the Mission Language and Vocational School will take over neighborhood mainstay Jim’s, which invited customers in today for its last day in business under current ownership. This afternoon, a line was seen reaching the corner of the building at 20th and Mission streets, and the diner had to take a waitlist for people to get in. Mission Language and Vocational School, a nonprofit that offers workforce development and small business supportive services, will staff the restaurant with graduates from its catering program and culinary school.  The nonprofit will keep on Beto, the longtime cook. The owners, husband and wife Kim Ok Un and Kim Jung Nyun, are retiring. MLVS is expected to take over the restaurant […]

trending_flat
Jim’s owners retiring, leaving future of Mission diner unclear

The mom-and-pop owners of Jim’s Restaurant on Mission Street, a community staple for over three decades, will have their last day of work this Saturday, according to the restaurant.Jim’s Restaurant announced that its owners will be retiring after Saturday. It’s unclear, however, whether Jim’s will continue operating under new management. What is clear is it will no longer be the same without Ms. and Mr. Kim. The current owners, Kim Ok Un and Kim Jung Nyun, declined to comment about their retirement or whether Jim’s would continue operating.  An Instagram commenter says, “So so sooo happy for you guys!! So well deserved but Jim’s will never be the same without you”.Another says, “Legendary spot just up the street from KPOO. Thanks y’all for the decades of service to the community.”On Friday around noon, the restaurant at 2420 Mission St. between 20th and […]

trending_flat
S.F. police shoot, kill Dior guard turned alleged hit-and-run driver

San Francisco police shot and killed a purportedly armed man they say they tracked down — after he allegedly hit pedestrians and a cyclist with a car on Thursday evening. Assistant Chief David Lazar, who gave a press conference this morning, said the man was believed to be a security guard at Dior, and said he discovered a firearm “on the ground” at the scene that he believed belonged to the guard. He did not give any details about whether the man was armed at the time police shot him. Lazar also could not confirm how many police officers fired their weapons at the man. The driver was allegedly driving on the sidewalk around 6:30 p.m. at Kearny and Post streets and hit two pedestrians, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, Lazar said, in pursuit of a man on an electric bicycle. After hitting […]

trending_flat
Street sheet – Mission Local

Mission Local produces enterprise reporting on San Francisco's most critical issues: police reform, corruption, public health, housing and homelessness. Learn more about us, and donate below keep us reporting.Subscribe to Mission Local's daily newsletter Source: missionlocal.org

trending_flat
Supervisor Melgar won, now the trick will be to manage her constituents’ competing interests

District 7 incumbent Myrna Melgar faced a particularly bruising re-election campaign. She squared off against significant numbers of her own constituents by supporting hot-button issues like Proposition K to close the Great Highway to cars, and upzoning parts of her district that have been previously limited to single-family housing. “If I lose this election on this issue, then that’s the right thing to do,” Melgar said in June, after a particularly contentious meeting about zoning changes coming to her district, and the rest of the city. But she didn’t lose the election. No matter the ideological differences, most of her constituents agree: She’s good at the actual work of being a district supervisor. “When I call — somebody does get back to me,” said Peggy da Silva, a West Portal resident who has reached out to Melgar’s office over concerns like city […]

Be the first to leave a comment

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Karl The Fog

Welcome to Karl The Fog, your digital gateway to the enigmatic world of San Francisco’s legendary mist. We are the storytellers, the observers, and the chroniclers of the ever-elusive, charismatic character known as Karl.

KARL THE FOG, and KARL THE FOG COFFEE logos, images, fonts, names, and other trademarks are trademarks of KARL THE FOG, LLC and may not be used without permission.

Login to enjoy full advantages

Please login or subscribe to continue.

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Unfollow Cancel

Cancel subscription

Are you sure you want to cancel your subscription? You will lose your Premium access and stored playlists.

Go back Confirm cancellation