Career criminal in court over beating of elderly Chinese woman in Lower Nob Hill robbery
An inveterate criminal accused of a brutal attack on an elderly Chinese woman during a street robbery in Lower Nob Hill will appear in a San Francisco courtroom today.
Prosecutors say Sheldon Thompson, 44, approached his victim at the intersection of Sutter and Polk streets on October 13. He repeatedly assaulted her before Good Samaritans came to her aid.
“The victim is a slight 74-year-old Cantonese-speaking woman,” wrote assistant district attorney Angela Fisher in a motion to detain.
“On October 13 2026, the victim was on the corner of Sutter Street and Polk Street when the defendant began punching her in the face several times, causing a laceration on her face.”
“As the victim crouched down to shield her face, defendant continued punching her on the side and back of the head several more times and began pulling at the victim’s purse.”
It was at this point, Fisher says, that three passers-by intervened to protect the woman. Thompson was arrested nearby shortly after police arrived at the scene.
Thompson has been arrested at least four times so far in 2026, including for allegedly threatening an SFPD officer with a knife and damaging a car in April 2026. He was ordered released one month later after prosecutors were not able to proceed with a preliminary hearing within time limits.
This is not the first time problems have beset prosecutions against Thompson. In 2025 one of his two open auto theft cases was dismissed because a witness was not available to testify.
He was convicted of receiving stolen property in 2011 and 2012; burglary in 2015; grand theft and two counts of vehicle theft in 2020; burglary in 2021, 2023 and 2024; and vehicle theft in 2025.
Thompson, who remains in custody, is due to appear today at San Francisco Hall of Justice for preliminary hearing in this case and other hearings in his five other open cases. He earlier pleaded not guilty to attempted robbery, assault and elder abuse.
The case continues.
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