Here’s a quick roundup of a couple street robberies in the past week.
22nd and James, 8 a.m. November 4
Two men robbed a man in wheelchair, knocking him to the ground in the process before fleeing. The robbers got away with the backpack attached to the front of the victim’s wheelchair. They even started rooting through it in front of the victim while he was on the sidewalk, the man told police. The victim was left with scrapes on his hands.
From the police report:
14th and Alder, 6:30 p.m. November 27
Three suspects robbed a woman walking down the sidewalk on 14th Ave near Alder. She was walking down 14th talking on her phone when one of the suspects asked her for the time. One suspect then grabbed for her backpack, causing her to fall to the ground. Another suspect tried to grab her phone, while the third may have been on lookout.
One of the suspects started screaming at her, telling her to give them her stuff, but she refused. She started screaming herself, drawing the attention of a neighbor who came outside and started walking toward the scene. The attempted robbers then ran off.
They did not get any of her stuff, and she was not injured. The suspects were described as follows, according to the police report:
Unknown/Suspect #1 Black male with English accent possible east African, approximately 5′-9″, medium build, brown eyes, facial hair, wearing a black puffy jack with a orange lumber jack shirt and black baggy pants.
Unknown/Suspect #2 Black male approximately 5′-9″, medium build, wearing a black jacket and black pants.
Unknown/Suspect #3 Couldn’t further describe.
What is going on in our neighborhood? This makes me sad and I feel like something needs to be done. It seems that I read about stories like this all the time now. Are these people from our neighborhood or do they just come here to make trouble? They should be ashamed to attack someone in a wheelchair.
I felt bad for the guy in the wheelchair until it said he knows these kids but won’t turn them in. Thanks for keeping our ‘hood shitty.
You are reading about them more because they are available to you online where you choose to get your news. Muggings and crime have not changed, they have been around for a very long time, in every community. You just haven’t seen them on the local news unless they involve murder of more violence. The blogs just make them more real to all of us as passive observers. In the 90s gays were getting bashed and rolled all over the hill, but it was only talked about in the clubs or the alternative papers as the world wasn’t opened to the webs like this. The web is a blessing and curse.
I was standing next to a young woman last night (6PM) who had her phone ripped out of her hands by two men. They ran up Cherry and turned left into the alley before 22nd.
Well, he’s afraid, and given his situation he could be seriously hurt in retribution. I applaud those who come forward, but I can’t blame this guy. Maybe he will take it up with their grandmas.
Hey guy in the wheelchair, turn these punks in or you might as well be the reason the next person they attack gets robbed, hurt or even killed next. I am sorry to be so blunt but someone has to stop them and only you can.
My daughter said two students at GHS have had their phones stolen out of their hands lately. The other day her friend’s finger was broken as guys stole her iPhone. I’m glad my kid’s was stolen out of her backpack at school instead of mugged off her person.
Damn – that is one ugly story. I guess anyone is fairgame; wheelchair-bound, whatever. These guys are sub-human scum in my opinion. But I agree – dude needs to turn them in – do it for us all.
So, no updates? We know who done it. They robbed a man confined to a wheel chair. We can assume they will be killing old ladies next.
And nothing? We don’t want to say who it is out of fear of direct reprisal? That makes me sick. I actually think I might puke right now.
What am I missing?
What is going on with this neighborhood. This is sad. What can we do to keep our neighborhood safe? Block patrol? Install cameras? What can we do here?