If you’re hearing all the sirens around the neighborhood, it’s all from a car full of suspected burglars who are being held at gunpoint by police at 24th & Union. More soon…
Update: Just got back from the scene. They had 4 kids in cop cars, but let them go. They wouldn’t say why at the scene. Trying to get more details…
Update x2: I talked to police spokesman Jeff Kappel who confirmed that four were detained and IDd, but he couldn’t provide any details on why they were released. We have some information that indicates that the original witness and caller to 911 refused to cooperate further when asked to go to the scene to positively identify the suspects, but that can’t be officially confirmed at this point.
Update x3: We just confirmed with Lt. O’Donnell that the suspects were released due to the lack of a witness to come and ID them. Additionally, the homeowner responded to their alarm activation and found no damage or missing property, so there was no probable cause to hold them for the attempted break-in.
Does anyone know what the license plate is? I want to keep an eye out for this car on my street. I swear I’ve seen it a few times in front of the local gang’s house.
Please don’t publish license plates on the site
why not? everyone understands they were only suspects.
Isn’t the car in the picture one of those black malibus with steel wheels that the police use? Is that the suspects car or a police car? I suppose the plate would answer the question.
I don’t see a reason why a plate could not be published? I understand it is Scott’s site and if he says not to, then we won’t, but if it is a burglary suspect, why not?
Not publishing photos of license plates is a pretty standard policy in the press. Not sure why, perhaps to avoid busting someone for being where he isn’t supposed to be?
Because the internet is permanent. If a case doesn’t even go far enough to an arrest, it isn’t fair to publicize personal details such as name, arrest, or easily databased license plate
Seandr is right – it is not a best practice to publish license plates in the press unless it is part of an Amber Alert or other major activity, and typically not in print media.
Did you know that there is a reverse look-up for license plates? Do you want someone looking up your plates and now knowing where you live (or atleast where your vehicle is registered at?) From the above posts, it sounds like there is frustration about the criminal activity or suspected criminal activity that is rampant in our neighborhood. Maybe a way to combat that is through getting to know your neighbors, attending the East Precinct Crime Prevention meetings or just keep posting what see/hear on our neighborhood blog to keep us all informed and aware.
Just my two cents.
…this site is now considered the ‘press’ and not a community forum?
Not to offend the excellent work that Scott does, but isn’t that a rather blurry line to be drawing? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for protecting the identity of those who have not been charged and certainly am not ready to get the pitchforks out and torches lit, but I can’t help but wonder what the difference is between publishing the plate here, and me running down to the scene based on the scanner and writing the information down myself to post on a bunch of utility poles, Craigslist, or anywhere else.
That being said, ‘Me too’ is right, we’re all frustrated, and hearing the cops had to let go suspects AGAIN is only adding to the effect (couldn’t they have booked them on failure to yield or something??? ;))
The internet is pretty good at blurring the line between press & community forum. We’re a combination of both.
We don’t have any responsibility for what might appear on a telephone pole somewhere. But our general site policy is not to publicize someone’s personal information if they haven’t been charged with a crime. There’s some exceptions and we’ll make those calls on a case by case basis, but this one definitely falls below our threshold.