San Francisco police are warning members of the Chinese community to be extra vigilant after thieves have stolen nearly $400,000 from elderly women in recent months in so-called “blessing scams.”

On Tuesday, police issued an alert Tuesday about the scammers, which often take place around the holidays and the Lunar New Year.

“These crimes against our most vulnerable community members are unacceptable, and we are working diligently to identify the suspects and bring them to justice,” Police Chief Bill Scott said in a statement. “As we continue investigating these crimes, we want our community members to stay vigilant to prevent blessing scams by continuing to talk to one another daily and working with SFPD to report these crimes.”

According to officers, the Chinese-speaking suspects claim to provide relief from a curse or family illness through so called “purification ceremonies” in which victims are told to place cash and valuables in a bag to be “blessed”. Scammers tell the victims to open the bag at a later date for the “blessing” to take effect.

When a victim opens the bag, they discover their valuables have been switched.

“Every year, members of our community are targeted by bad actors preying on vulnerable populations, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. These scams are against the law, and we will arrest people committing crimes against our neighbors,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said.

In Tuesday’s alert, police listed at least seven incidents dating back to Nov. 23 in which about $374,000 in cash and property were stolen. The incidents, which took place in areas across the city, involved victims who were in their 60s and 70s.

Police also released photos of potential suspects.

“Blessing scams are not new and are becoming increasingly brazen,” District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said.  “These despicable scams rob innocent victims of their hard-earned money and also take their dignity as well, as victims often feel deep shame.”

Police offered several tips to the community, including:

• Be aware of strangers
• Do not easily believe what strangers say
• Keep a distance from strangers
• Do not follow strangers anywhere
• Do not let strangers touch you
• Do not withdraw money at banks with strangers
• Do not bring strangers home
• Be aware if strangers ask for money
• Before withdrawing large sums of money/ valuables, tell your family   

Anyone who has information about these cases can contact the SFPD’s anonymous tip line at 415-575-4444 or by texting a tip to 411, beginning the message with SFPD. Cantonese speakers can use a special tip line at 415-553-9212 or 1-855-737-3847.

Reports can also be made at any SFPD or by calling dispatch at 415-553-0123 and requesting an officer to take a report. 

A Phoenix-based flight attendant is one of two people who died over the weekend following a seemingly unprovoked stabbing spree in downtown Denver.

Celinda Levno, 71, is being remembered by loved ones and members within her industry for a career that spanned decades serving flight passengers. Efforts are underway to fund a funeral for Levno.

Authorities have arrested a man as a murder suspect in the fatal attacks that left two survivors as the investigation continues. Here is everything we know about the attacks and the Arizona woman who lost her life.

How did the stabbing unfold?

A woman died Saturday in a stabbing attack near 16th Street Mall, a shopping center in downtown Denver, according to Denver police. There were also three men assaulted, leading to the deaths of two. The first three stabbings took place Saturday, while the fourth stabbing, which was also fatal, happened Sunday.

The fourth stabbing victim was pronounced dead at a hospital, while the surviving stabbing victims suffered serious injuries or injuries that were not life-threatening.  

Who is the suspect?

Elijah Caudill, 24, is charged on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the four stabbings and was jailed as of Monday, police said. The area of 16th and Wynkoop streets was searched by police, who found Caudill with a knife and matching the suspect’s description, the Denver Police Department said.

Police said the attack appeared to be random. A potential motive was being investigated, police added.

The suspect was described by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston as a Colorado-born white male with a criminal history who was released from jail in November 2024. 

Who was Levno?

The woman killed in the stabbing was Levno, an American Airlines flight attendant, according to an Association of Professional Flight Attendants spokesperson on Tuesday. Levno, who was on a layover in Denver, started more than three decades ago at America West before its merger with American Airlines, the APFA said.

American Airlines confirmed Levno’s death was a result of a “senseless crime,” offering condolences and assuring its cooperation with law enforcement in the investigation.

A GoFundMe page was created by Jessica Dale, a friend of Levno, to help pay for funeral expenses.

Levno is survived by her husband, John, and her sister, Melanie, according to the GoFundMe page. Her Facebook page reveals she was a concert flutist, and the GoFundMe page mentioned she was deeply involved in the Arabian horse industry.

“She will now be with us every stride, and her love for horses will be carried on through all of us,” Dale told The Arizona Republic in a statement. 

‘Senseless crime’: Phoenix-based flight attendant died during Denver layover

We are back with another offseason episode as the beginning of the 2025 season draws nearer. With the Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola trades now official, we grade Seattle’s offseason thus far based on all their moves to date. We also have a handful of headlines from around the league, including more transfer movement, a couple of new coaching hires, and chaos and turmoil engulfing Austin FC.

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