Original Story –When San Francisco police said they couldn’t spare an officer to arrest a man suspected of stealing Tom Van Lokeren’s credit cards and checks, the 47-year-old North Beach tax accountant took matters into his own hands.  
 Van Lokeren bought a large fishing net at Fisherman’s Wharf, some pepper spray and a stun gun at a military surplus store and then lured the suspect into a trap on a busy downtown street.

“I made four attempts to get the police to do their job,” said Van Lokeren. “I said, ‘Well, I’m going to go ahead with this,’ and they said, ‘Good luck.’ ” 
 Police took a fraud report, and told them Stevens was wanted on a $50,000 grand theft arrest warrant in San Diego County and two warrants in San Bernardino County for receiving stolen property.  
 Later that morning Paul Van Lokeren got a call from Stevens, asking if he could retrieve his duffel bag. They arranged to meet at 2:30 p.m. at the Metreon at Fourth and Mission streets.  
 Tom Van Lokeren said he went back to Central Station and told officers of the opportunity to arrest the man. “They said they can’t stake a place out — what if the guy doesn’t show up?” Van Lokeren said.  
 The officers referred him to SFPD’s fraud detail, he said, where an inspector said the police report had not yet arrived and that he should go back to Central Station and try again to get a patrol officer to help.  
 One officer said he would try to make it to the meeting place, but that he couldn’t promise. He suggested calling 911 when Stevens was spotted, Van Lokeren said. 
 That afternoon, the Van Lokerens and Tom’s girlfriend gathered on Mission Street. Their plan was to call Stevens on his cell phone and lure him out of the Metreon. But first they tried again for police help. They called 911. The dispatcher said they would send a car, but none came. They waved down a passing patrol car and asked the officers for help. “They said they were on another call,” Tom Van Lokeren said. 
 MISSION STREET CONFRONTATION 
 Finally, they called Stevens out onto Mission Street. Tom Van Lokeren ran up behind him and stun-gunned and pepper-sprayed the man. Paul Van Lokeren used his own pepper spray. Stevens fell, but then got up and ran.  
 “I was yelling ‘Stop him, stop him,’ ” Tom Van Lokeren said.  
 “Some homeless guy with one leg in a wheelchair sticks out his leg and almost trips him up,” said Paul Van Lokeren, “Another guy bodychecks him into a liquor store door.”  
 A passer-by called 911.  
 When police arrived, Stevens was placed under citizen’s arrest. Tom Van Lokeren’s credit cards were found near the liquor store’s broken glass door, police reported.