Friday, January 30, 2009

Lights Out On Magnolia (Again)

A concerned reader writes in:
"Would you please spread the word on this?

The lights were out on Magnolia again tonight. It seems like this happens every first of the month, like clockwork. When I mentioned this to the 311 dispatcher, she said that the Bureau of Electricity has had a real problem over the last year with tampering. She said that crowbars are being used, in many cases, to open the locked circuit boxes to shut off the lights for particular blocks.

The dispatcher suggested that when you call 311 to report lights out that if it seems to be a pattern or you otherwise suspect tampering to also request that they note that on the file, as well. The Bureau of Electricity is considering putting the circuits high on the poles to keep this from happening, but that they need to know where to focus their efforts.

Of course, if you see tampering as it is happening, call 911 immediately."

8 comments:

  1. They are completely out also on the entire block of W. Leland between Magnolia and Malden.

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  2. I just went out for a trip to the store and am positive I almost got jumped!

    I was walking to my car at Leland/Magnolia for the first time ever with the lights out so I was extra extra careful. I have been jumped twice before in other parts of the city so I learned the hard way to always keep my eye on who is around me.

    As I was walking south on Magnolia I noticed a guy in the local p-stone attire (black jacket with white Chicago letters on the back) walking in the same direction on the other side of the street. He was ahead of me but all of a sudden he slowed his pace down and as I past him he crossed the street towards my direction, which conveniently set himself up behind me. I wasn't about to test my luck so I immediately walked into the middle of the road and headed towards my car. right as I got inside a guy came out of his building with 2 dogs and startled the guy following me. They exchanged words (not sure what) and as the dog walker walked away, the banger just stood there staring at me as I drove off.

    I have no doubt he was setting up to jump me.

    PLEASE be safe out there everyone! It really messes with my head to think that it is possible the gangs are tampering with the boxes to set up muggings. I really hope that is not the case.

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  3. Was this guy black and wearing dark horned rim sunglasses, a dark hoodie and a dark baseball cap?

    I saw someone out earlier in the dark on Leland and it struck me as strange that he seemded to be following people around and was wearing sunglasses in the dark street with no streetlights. At the time I thought maybe he was just high, but now you make me wonder.

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  4. you know.......Magnolia, between Wilson and Montrose, seems to be the most 'shady' of streets. ALWAYS see groups/gangs of people floating in sinister limbo.

    The 'out' street lights can only equal more trouble.

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  5. OK boys and girls, I am now convinced shit is going down. I just semi-witnessed a car robbery. If your car is either the 3rd, 4th, or 5th on the East side of Magnolia, South of Lawrence, you just got robbed.

    I was working and I heard a car alarm so I looked out the window. I saw a black male with what looked like loong hair walking away from the scene, he was carring a dark sholder bag. He went east east on Lawrence.

    I called the cops and gave the best description I could. Could have been a coincidence but after my earlier experience I doubt it.

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  6. um....When I said robbery I ment to say broken into. I am guessing GPS or stereo.

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  7. I just drove by Leland and Racine a few minutes ago (11:00am) and there were four patrol cars and a wagon at that intersection.

    I think with the worsening economy, we can expect to see a noticeable increase in street crime in our neighborhood. People who used to be able to pay for a drug habit with partial employment are now completely unemployed, and may resort to crime. Drug dealers who had steadier income in better times may have to diversify into other crimes that more directly affect "civilians" as well. The recent rash of deliverymen robberies may be a sign of this.

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