Sunday, May 3, 2009

Mugging At Broadway & Wilson

A reader writes: "My husband and I had some friends over to watch the fight last night. When the festivities ended (about 2am), our friend (against our better judgment) walked home (he lives near the Jewel on Montrose). When he reached Wilson and Broadway (near the L) he was approached by a black man, about 6'2, early 30's who asked him for his money. When my friend refused, the man pulled out a 9 mil and pointed it in his face just before pistol whipping him and taking his money, his iphone and even his GLASSES!! My friend is hesitant to file a report but we are encouraging him to do so. Where were the police???? Clearly those cameras are not discouraging crime...out in the open crime!! This incident makes me want to take a HUGE loss on my condo and get me and my family OUT of the neighborhood I once loved."

48 comments:

  1. The normal reaction to being mugged is to be angry and notify the police. Are you sure your friend was not in the market for some party favors last night on his way home when his purchase took a turn for the worse?

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  2. First, my sympathies to your friend and hopes for a full recovery.

    Second, he REALLY needs to make a police report. Reporting it on a blog will help no one. Reporting it to the police will make them aware of this incident and they may be able to link it to others.

    Third, the police aren't on every corner, acting as bodyguards for the population. You ask -- "Where were the police?" The answer is, NOT AWARE UNLESS YOUR FRIEND CALLS THEM.

    I am not a blame-the-victim person. Your friend has every right to walk the streets safely. My feeling is that bad people are in the "wrong place at the wrong time," not law-abiding citizens. However, unless your friend makes a police report, there is zero chance of this crime being solved... and a huge possibility that it is repeated.

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  3. Weiss need to send in a squadron of Special Operations Sections "SOS" officers and start cracking some skulls. End of story. Its basically a 3rd world country at that intersection. SOS needs to clean it all up. Make a sweep down Magnolia too, and get all those scum in jail asap.

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  4. Thanks p. You just proved that there is always someone who will blame the victim when the victim is part of a hated group. It's why hate crimes laws have so much traction in this country.

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  5. I was not blaming the victim just pointing out the obvious. The victim becomes part of the problem if they do not report incidents of violence.

    Also I very much doubt that any of the street crimes in Uptown are hate crimes. By definition when a white person is victimized by a black it is not a hate crime. If you disagree I would ask for you to find one incident of black on white crime in chicago that resulted in hate crime charges being filed.

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  6. Honestly, your friend should have had enough sense not to be walking around Uptown at that time a night. It's just a known fact that this has never been a safe neighborhood and I have lived here 13 years.

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  7. I question why one WOULDN'T call the police after being threatened, pistol whipped and robbed. I called the just the other night when I was just accosted by a crazy person who jumped in a puddle to provoke me while I was waiting for the bus. The more action we take, perhaps the more action the police will take.

    My friends think its strange that every night I get on the Broadway bus at Lawrence and only go as far as Montrose for the gym. But after stories like this, I believe my actions are justified.

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  8. I'm so sorry to hear about the mugging. Filing a police report would trigger an investigation because the police can not do anything until a victim comes forward.

    It's reasonable to be upset and want to move after this. I've also been a victim of crime. Staying in the neighborhood and fighting to keep the neighborhood safer allows you to be the real winner in the end. Just remember to also vote in 2011.

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  9. "By definition when a white person is victimized by a black it is not a hate crime."

    First, I don't recall that the race of the victim was revealed anywhere in this post.

    Second, I wasn't thinking of race when I posted what I did above. The fact that you made that assumption, p, is very telling.

    Think about this, p. There is a reason posters to Uptown Update refer to themselves as "evil condo owners."

    Maybe reverse racism or other reverse 'isms aren't in your field of vision, p, but the longer you remain blind, the more likely they become. What's the old saying, "There are none so blind as will not see."

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  10. I have noticed 2 types of people in life. Some people find a bucked ot "Poo" and like to stir it up and fling it all over the place, others clean it up. I think the first would apply to our friend P.

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  11. p said...
    The normal reaction to being mugged is to be angry and notify the police. Are you sure your friend was not in the market for some party favors last night on his way home when his purchase took a turn for the worse?Zesty Marinara said...
    Thanks p. You just proved that there is always someone who will blame the victim when the victim is part of a hated group. It's why hate crimes laws have so much traction in this country.Who said the victim is part of a hated group, unless you're talking about hatred against recreational drug users? Dude. The stoners and cokeheads and caffeine FREAKS on my college campus back in the 70's all used the term "party favors," probably because we'd all been subjected to those completely gay birthday party events with ice cream balls and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey as children during the 60's.

    Oh....wait...

    Forward, I agree with Caring Neighbor NO VICTIM is EVER at fault. I sincerely hope your friend is okay, and that he files a police report -- the crime needs to be solved, and the neighborhood deserves the courtesy of reporting yet another crime that justifies the need for more patrols.

    But you know what, Shiller Etal are really right about at least one thing -- this ain't anyone's college campus, sweetie, there's some serious shit goin' on here, y'all. I strongly advise against anyone walking around this side of the hood at 2am. Next time, call Norshore and spring for the cabfare.

    Hope your friend is okay, and stick around for the jokes.

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  12. You might be surprised to find out that P actually is doing more to clean things up then most. I am going to leave it at that.

    P is actively engaged in the neighborhood in a positive way everyday.
    Thank you very much.

    Do not assume lest it make an ass out of yourself.

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  13. "But you know what, Shiller Etal are really right about at least one thing -- this ain't anyone's college campus, sweetie, there's some serious shit goin' on here, y'all."Wow! Such wisdom. And who is responsible for keeping the "hood" unsafe, blighted, and just plain dangerous to walk its streets, I wonder?

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  14. "...probably because we'd all been subjected to those completely gay birthday party events with ice cream balls and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey as children during the 60's."Kenny, you were ahead of your time. You really went to same-sex birthday parties in the 60s, when you were a kid?

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  15. Generally I agree and respect Zesty and comment and commitment to the communtity, but find no 'hated' group in P's comments. While it is unclear whether the reference is to a 'drug' or 'sex' transaction, it is irrelevant.

    I have lived in the 'hood for a good portion of the last 15 years and walked back from the Green Mill, Aragon, Riviera, Saxony, Wooden Nickel, Kinetic Playground and other great Uptown establishments (great is a huge overstatement for the Saxony, but I'm just looking for a little neighborhood cred) at all hours of the night and haven't felt the need to be more cautious than the past couple of years. I won't stop because I will not live in fear, but also understand why the new parents in the 'hood seek the safety of the suburbs.

    Those of us that remain need to stand up to the thuggery, the fear and the ignorance. No one living in civilized community should have to make the choice between taking a cab and walking 2 blocks home regardless of the hour.

    I don't have a perfect solution, but living in fear is not one of them. Like many contributors to this site, I truly believe that an active, engaged and involved community is the best response to street crime and gang activity. How great would our neighborhood be with an active cafe/bar/restaurant life between Argyle and Irving? The possibilities for social and cultural interaction are endless. After all, diversity is one of primary attractions of Uptown. We need to embrace, foster and celebrate even if we aren't all Canadian.

    The victim in this case will only worsen the problem by ignoring and not reporting the crime.

    Let's stay invloved to make Uptown all that it can be.

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  16. The mugging should be reported to the cops.

    It's a sad thing when people have to fear walking public streets.

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  17. I mean like, oh my god, no way. This couldn't have happened in Chicago!

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  18. I'm sorry to hear about this incident, but I also think anyone who lives in Uptown should realize it's not safe to walk around the neighborhood at 2am. That it would be nice and we all want to be able to do so, we can't live in a wish. The neighborhood is not safe at that time of night. Better to be safe than righteous.

    And, fwiw, no this isn't a blame-the-victim post. This stuff shouldn't happen.

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  19. SHammer, thanks for the honesty. It made me re-read the original post and p's comments.

    p may not have had a "hated group" in mind when he posted, but rest assured there are those in this community who have a visceral hatred of condo/property owners/new residents.

    I agree with p, it does seem strange that the guy would not go to the police to file a report. Does it justify questioning if the guy may have been buying drugs? My gut reaction would say no, only because I don't know much about this guy, but I do understand why p might question it.

    The accusation that "all condo owners do drugs" is a tactic that a few in this community have used to demonize new residents. Another tactic is to blame victims of crime when the victims are condo owners/property owners/new residents, while at the same time justifying the actions of the perpetrators of the crime and accusing the police of harassment.

    It's not fair to p, but my response was honestly a displaced attack on those individuals.

    My apoligies to p. My reaction crossed the line.

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  20. P: You might want to take your own advice to heart: "Do not assume lest it make an ass out of yourself." Seems like that's an awful lot like what you were doing in your very first post here.

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  21. I see nothing wrong with "P's" first post. A honest question that should be asked.

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  22. Willem Biedermann-
    There no longer is a SOS. They were disbanded last year. Because of some allegations about criminal behavior most of which has been discounted now. But even if they did exist, busting heads is no longer politicaly correct. The citizens do not want to offend the criminal element today. Society wants a gentler,kinder, more compassionate Police Department. They want social workers, not Police Officers. They got it.

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  23. the poor guy was probably in shock after being pistol-whipped and robbed. having been a victim of an armed robbery in uptown too, i can tell you that right after i was accosted, i poured myself a huge glass of wine, then called 311. why? i felt the crime was already over. when i was put through to 911 i realized that the sooner the better to try and get the guy. but i'm also jaded too, as he was never caught, so what on earth was that phone call for? i think about that each time i see the cops hanging out on wilson at 6:55am waiting to put parking tickets on cars. incidentally i was walking home from my car after playing beach volleyball and not looking for sex or drugs.

    it's easier said than done to reduce the value of your condo and move out. nobody's buying and i don't blame them.

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  24. I agree with willem and I would like to see all these dirt bags get what they deserve. In the old days I remember under-cover cops in uptown. They made alot of arrests on surprise raids on the street. We can see all the crime these punks make yet no-one else can like the CPD. Get some undercover cops to stand around in these hot spots and I am sure they will get alot of arrests.....

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  25. If you don't let the police know a crime occurred... then you've just made sure that nothing ever happened. No crime was committed. Think about that next time you complain the police aren't hanging out in the right places.

    I'm talking from experience. I got slugged & mugged in Lakeview the one time I was a victim of street crime. Screamed my ass off for minutes, screamed "rape" and "fire" to get people's attention. Several shop owners called 911, the cops showed up in five minutes and drove me around to find the guy. We did, he got arrested.

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  26. but i'm also jaded too, as he was never caught, so what on earth was that phone call for?If nothing else, we should encourage crime victims to report what happened so that the statistics for our area are accurate. Since Mayor Daley and the City Council are not funding the same police force we had 5 years ago in this City and there are more calls to move the police to heavier crime areas, we need to have accurate statistics. I believe one of the ways that they justify detailing officers out of our neighborhood is because it has a lower crime rate. Not reporting crimes does nothing to change that perception.

    BTW: We certainly do have significantly less violent crime than other neighborhoods on the South and West sides. The answer means re-investing in those neighborhoods, not pulling back from others when there is still a need. Also, after looking at the drug deal in the previous thread, I do wonder how much the local police have been instructed to look the other way on open air drug dealing.

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  27. I've been a Police Officer for nearly thirty years. During that time I have NEVER,EVER been told to look the other way in regards to ANY drug market. To suggest that I would have been is foolish. Who in their right mind would suggest such a thing?

    And to Whirlofagirl, I know that your perception of us is a bunch of donut eating nethanderals who do nothing but hide waiting for you to commit a traffic violation so that we may write you a ticket, but did it ever occur to you that there may be people working on your case? That the guy in plain clothes lurking around the corner may in fact be a Police Officer? That there may be Detectives looking for clues as to who your offender might be? That they may be looking for similar cases across the city for possible suspects? Just wondering.

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  28. I think it is good advice to continue to tell people to report crimes. But, it is probably also worth noting that not much will probably happen. There are many crimes that police categorize as victimless in this city from my experience. My personal experience dealt with someone breaking into my home while I was out.

    I have an alarm so the police came by to check things out, made note of it (I think) and that's it. I went to make the official report the next morning and about a week later a "detective" called me. (From what I can tell he was retired at the time.) When I found later that the intruder had left two clear handprints - with fingerprints pretty clearly defined - on the side of thie window they entered, I called back and spoke to another detective (as messages to the original weren't returned). I was given another number to call so that I could arrange for the fingerprinting technicians to come out. I suppose had I done so, I would have to carry the report to the police once again, and if things went forward I suppose I would have had to contact the DA or SA as well to let them know they might have a case. *rolls eyes*

    So like I said, reporting things is a good idea. But expecting anything to happen in your particular case is not recommended. There probably is too much crime that ends up in serious injury, death or property damage for the police to put forth the effort we would like on muggings, break-ins etc., from which the victims walk away relatively unscathed in comparison.

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  29. Yesterday I was in Lincoln Square by Welles Park. In a bus lane there was a car parked half way legally and half way illegally. The 78 Bus pulled behind the car and honked, and honked, and honked some more. The illegally parked vehicle had the driver still in the vehicle.

    For about 2 minutes the bus did not move. It just kept on honking. Finally, a marked squad car pulled up next to the bus. The illegally parked car moved immediately.

    This is another world compared to Uptown.

    If you want this world to come to Uptown you have to start reporting everything. Put your name and your face to your reporting. If you are afraid, report the incidents and blog about them anonymously. The view from your window before it is broken is your best bet.

    Momentum will come from the single acts of many like minded individuals.

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  30. Sorry, big daddy. I didn't mean to offend. I was just wondering if this close attention on the police in this area is extending to less-than-proactive attention to drug dealing. I didn't mean to imply that individual officers weren't "doing their job." Maybe there is just so much dealing going on. Maybe it is lack of manpower. Maybe there is more success than I I know about. Maybe it is all of the above or none of the above. I do notice the effects though...and the outcomes of the dealing & addictions are not good.

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  31. You can get mugged in Lakeview at 2:00 a.m. It's not the time to be walking home, and ESPECIALLY not through arguably the roughest intersection on the North Side. Sure, the victim SHOULD be able to walk wherever he wants, but this was not a smart move on his part.

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  32. p, I disagree with your post where you say "By definition when a white person is victimized by a black it is not a hate crime. If you disagree I would ask for you to find one incident of black on white crime in chicago that resulted in hate crime charges being filed."

    By definition?! Whose definition? Maybe charges weren't filed but that doesn't mean it they couldn't have been. I work for a big city bureacracy with lots of different racial groups, and I have heard more racial slurs than I would ever care to. I don't think it's a stretch for some to graduate from racial slurs to an actual hate crime. Why it doesn't get reported as such I can't understand.

    It's like the term "reverse discrimination." What the hell does that mean? Hate is hate, discrimination is discrimination, PERIOD! Everyone is afraid of lawsuits, so we say and do one thing on the surface and live another way in reality. Especially in this divided city. So, we can go on and pretend there is no such thing as a black on white hate crime. But that IMHO is a big fat illusion.

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  33. It's a shame this happens, but no matter where you are you have ti mitigate your chances of becoming a victim. I agree we should be able to walk safely where ever & when ever but the sad rea;ity is we can't. If you are walking late make sure you are not intoxicated, be aware and walk with a purpose. I have followed these rulesfor years and never had a problem. BTW somebody's been watching the wire for to long, Hamsterdam is fictional.

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  34. If you disagree I would ask for you to find one incident of black on white crime in chicago that resulted in hate crime charges being filed.Racial Hate Crimes 2006:
    A Hispanic Student at a Chicago Public high school was battered by an African-American student who had been using racial slurs toward him all week, calling him "white trash" and "ugly white boy." The offender was identified, arrested and charged with hate crime and battery.

    Two men walking on the street were approached by two male African-Americans who made an anti-gay slur while demanding their money. The offenders began to batter both victims, but one of the victims was able to run away. When he returned to check on his companion, he found him severely beaten and unconscious. Although one of the offeders was apprehended, neither of the victims could accurately identify him in a line-up because of the trauma of the incident.

    A man walking on the street passed by several male African-Americans. One of the group asked the victim what his sexual orientation was, using derogatory language. The victimg replied that he was gay, whereupon the offender punched him in the mouth and walked away. The victim was able to flag down a passing police car, which was able to apprehend the offender a short distance away. The offender was charged with a hate crime and battery.

    A Hispanic female student was sitting at a bus stop when she was approached by a group of African American students. Ohe of the African American students said to the victimg, "I feel like boxing Mexicans today, are you scared?" Another ripped a necklace from the victims neck, pushed her off the bench and proceeded to kick and punch her. The victim was able to get away and identify the main offender, who was charged with a hate crime, simple battery and assault.

    Chicago Hate Crimes Report 2006And all of that is just from 2006.

    Hope that helps, P. While it felt dumb having to recount those stories of stupidity, if that helps stop this dumb assumption that blacks don't get charged with hate crimes because of some sort of leniency by the courts, then it was well worth it. I know you've got a chip on your shoulder, p, from what I've read that you've written on other blogs, but do some research first if you're going to make such absolute statements.

    Now if we can get back to not looking at the trees but the entire forest...

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  35. Actually MOS...all but one of the instances you mentioned were specifically anti-gay, not anti-white. I was a tad surprised to hear about the one anti-white case though.

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  36. I was going to say the same thing Bradley.

    So three years ago one out of thousands of reported black on white crime incidents that year resulted in a hate crime prosecution. I think you did a very good job of making my point.

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  37. This is getting REALLY off-topic. If you want to discuss racial profiling and hate crime statitics, I respectfully suggest that the discussion move to the Uptown Update forum (linked on the right). This topic ("Mugging At Broadway & Wilson") isn't the best place for it.

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  38. Actually MOS...all but one of the instances you mentioned were specifically anti-gay, not anti-white. You're right. But I concluded that the thrust of the post by P was that blacks don't get charged with hate crimes, period.

    And yes, I agree. We are getting off topic. Sorry. My take is that the guy that commmitted this mugging would just as easly robbed a black guy who looked like he had cash if he assumed him to be an easy mark. Either way, the thug was an a-hole who needed to be reported, arrested and subjected to "romantic involvement" in prison.

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  39. To Big Daddy..
    You guys rock.... I never had as much respect for the men and women of the CPD until I bought a scanner. Living across from Clarendon Park is like living in a war zone with the sirens going 24/7,but the cops are here in big numbers. While they may not appear to be reducing crime, they certainly respond to it.

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  40. What encourages me the most, is seeing the Chicago Police on bike patrols.

    I think this somewhat under the radar police work makes a difference.
    Last week, I saw a policewoman on a bike, patting down someone at Malden and Sunnyside, sitting on the curb with a bag of Cheetos, a bottle of wine, and holding an ax!

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  41. I hope that person wasn't still holding the axe as he/she was being patted down,lol.

    UPSBoy, thanks for the kind words. But you really wanna have some fun, listen to the zones on the west or south sides. Districts 11,15,25,6,7,9 etc. Those districts are usually in a backlog from from 0600 till 0559 everyday.

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  42. Hello Big Daddy....Well there are good and bad cops I know. I rememeber alot that worked for me part-time for the thrift store on sheridan in the 80`s. I won`t mention their names but they where bigger crooks then the crooks. From the old Foster crook station. But now for the most part I guess I see most cops are honest and do what they are paid to do. Protect and serve!!!!!!!!

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  43. Starck Mad - LOL. I almost wouldn't believe you if I haven't seen similar myself. Were they FLAMING HOT Cheetos?

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  44. First that should say, "My family and I..."
    Secondly- there are several units for sale in Uptown- including mine.
    Sigh.
    Lets just stay aware of our surroundings and report any suspicious activity.

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  45. all- I am the person who sent this in. My friend did file a police report the next day with our help and the help of an officer who lives in the neighborhood. HE IS OK & thanks to those of you who were concerned. A few things....first of all, he did not file a police report that night because he HAD NO PHONE, it was stollen and no glasses- was lucky to see his way home. Secondly, he was hesitant because he was traumatized (being new to Chicago and coming from a farm town). I challenge any of you to have a large gun pointed at you (point blank in the face) and not need a little time to gather your thoughts. Also- to (BOO)- whether our friend reported it or not, this WAS a crime and that person IS a criminal of the worst kind...a coward for using a gun and a thug for hitting my friend and leaving him humiliated w/o even his glasses to see his way home. For someone to say it was not a crime if it is not reported is simply ignorant and insensitive. Period.

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  46. "whether our friend reported it or not, this WAS a crime and that person IS a criminal of the worst kind...a coward for using a gun and a thug for hitting my friend and leaving him humiliated w/o even his glasses to see his way home. For someone to say it was not a crime if it is not reported is simply ignorant and insensitive. Period."

    You miss my point.

    Suppose I looked out of my apartment window that night and saw your friend get mugged. What if I were to call the police and ask if there was a crime committed on that corner that night, so I could be a witness. What would they say if your friend never called them?

    If I were considering moving to Uptown and asked Community Policing about the crime statistics for the Wilson el on Saturday nights, and your friend never reported his mugging, what would the police tell me?

    I don't disagree that your friend was a victim. But unless he calls the cops (and yes, now I know that he did), there's nothing on record to say that the Wilson el isn't the safest place on earth. If people are crime victims and don't make reports, it's like the proverbial tree falling in the forest. A crime doesn't exist, and can't be solved by the police, if it's not reported.

    Sorry if you feel that's ignorant and insensitive, but that's the way it works. Especially if you're asking, where were the police? People can't have it both ways, not reporting crimes when they happen, and then blaming the cops for not being there when they do.

    I'm glad your friend is okay and I'm glad he finally made a police report.

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  47. Ahhh- point taken. Yes, I did misunderstand the point you were tying to make. Since my husband and I have two young children, and feel strongly about this neighborhood and the fact that it can be a great place to live if we all work together to improve it- we worked with our friend to ensure he did report it. We explained the fact that this type of thing could happen to one of us- or- god forbid one of our children one day if left unreported and un-invenstigated. Those words made a big impact and the report was made. But- we were also told that not much would or could be done about it...which is unfortunate and speaks to why people hesitate to report things. My point about (where were the police) was simply that I see police cars all over the neighborhood when they are not needed...or...even sitting in their cars ignoring things when they are needed (blatent-public drinking drug selling,etc). There needs to be a full force push (police force surge-if you will) to clearly communicate that this behavior will no longer be tolerated here- or it will never stop.

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  48. To those of you who think a police report is a waste of time, we read each and every report so that we may know which areas to work and which not to. So even if we don't make an arrest, a report is helpful to us.

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