Crime Thread

ttricamo · PostDec 01, 2010#16262010-12-01T22:12+00:00

Gone Corporate wrote:ttricamo: Here are some quick answers to your questions…
The main drugs are dope and coke. There are over 80 active gangs in the StL area, a ridiculously high number (and you thought the county was factional). Outside resources currently working in the area include multiple federal agencies working in tandem with each other and with special units of the StLPD, visible and covert. Aldermen to this area include Antonio French, an old friend (personal bias) who really is making a solid effort at turning his area around, focusing on constituent quality of life.

With all due respect, this means nothing coming from you.

Furthermore, the question about "the gangs" was somewhat rhetorical. The focus of my rant was the public engagement by our leadership in regards to the crime, be it "gangs" "drugs" "unicorns" "the homeless/panhandling" "larceny" etc. etc.

gone corporate · PostDec 02, 2010#16272010-12-02T20:01+00:00

^But did you know that there are over 80 gangs operating in the City? This is a ridiculously high number, large enough that major gangs in NY and Chicago send people here to recruit hitters to bring back home. Yes, we're a farm system for urban gang violence nationwide (but not yet for MS13).

Everyone knows the details, though, of what goes on every day at the basic point. And the things that are kept quiet - like undercover operations and urban intelligence - they're kept quiet for a reason. Addressing all of this, blatantly, in a public forum could make a mess. Some things could terrify regular people just by addressing scary topics in detail, and other things can't be named for blowing the covers of operations. One can't "Wikileak" this stuff and expect no consequences. And other than for a few people's benefits, exposing all of this to further public comprehension wouldn't change the essence with what we're dealing with.

The advantage Commissioner Gordon has is that Batman's around to deliver some vigilante justice. We don't have a billionaire ninja with a blood vendetta and a weapons company to reign in all the "jokers" around town. If you know one, hire him. Hell, I'd take Coon & Friends right about now.

However, if Chief Isom gave a hard, blatant speech on the nature of gang warfare in StL, I'm most afraid that so little people would pay attention anyways, and that the core of what's said is reduced to sound bites for a 5PM broadcast. Maybe that's what's been going on already, and why some have so many questions. Is it the officer, or the reporter?

9ine Runner · PostDec 02, 2010#16282010-12-02T20:09+00:00

^batman doesn't have a blood vendetta its against his character to kill. But this city definitely could use a Batman, or maybe even better, a Red Hood.

gone corporate · PostDec 02, 2010#16292010-12-02T20:43+00:00

^Agreed that Batman's not out for blood, but he is there to avenge the death of his family, his bloodline if you will. That's why I was particular to say vendetta as opposed to a blood thirst.

Red Hood would be a great addition to the City. I'll even welcome back Snake Pliskin. But, after bingeing again on The Wire for the last few days, I want Omar. When all you need is one guys whistling "A Hunting We Will Go" to clear out a city block, THAT'S an effective policing strategy.

Yeah, OK. I'm OT. I'll stop now.

lukethedrifter · PostDec 02, 2010#16302010-12-02T22:29+00:00

What's so hard to understand about knowing that St Louis has a real crime problem yet taking issue with skewed statistics?

You know the real way New York and San Francisco mitigated their crime problem? They priced poor people out. So SF is safe and Oakland and Richmond are super dangerous. Did something really get fixed? In the big picture, no.

Pricing poor people out of St Louis seems pretty unlikely at this point.

TheRemedy · PostDec 02, 2010#16312010-12-02T22:42+00:00

Boombox wrote:Yes, I meant the police PR people telling us exactly what's going on, the main areas it's happening in, and the way they are responding to it. This gang feud has obviously been going on the better part of the last month and our police chief is just now saying "oh this is gang related". Ok so which gangs? Where is their territory? What are you doing to stop violence from escalating further?

As for that relating to lower crime, I admit it's a stretch but I think a more "frank" police department would over time lead to more proactive citizens working with them. The fact that many people will refuse to talk to the cops is one of the big things that keeps these feuds going on and on and on. I mean here we have a rival gang doing a bold shooting in broad daylight and I wonder how many people there will tell police "I didn't see nothin".

It may not be a great example, but have you ever seen any crime reality shows (COPS, First 48, etc.) filmed in St Louis? I think it does something for the national perception of local crime that people are caught for the crimes, and people are working on the problem. I rarely see updates covered anywhere on recent crimes even in STL. The crime map on STL today may be the best source I know of to follow up on crimes that are not solved the next day.

urbz · PostDec 02, 2010#16322010-12-02T23:42+00:00

The police and media releasing which "gangs" are related and their territories would be an admission that these streets are indeed THEIR territory. That's exactly what the gangs want. Its all about getting credit for their actions, and a rival gang knowing that the opposition is getting press would just exacerbate things. If a certain block is known as a gang territory, you can bet that block will stay that way indefinitely unless the residents start being proactive and push the city/police to take action on these areas. One thing Chief Isom said on the news was absolutely true: He stated that most of these "gang" members will have to be caught with weapons or some other crime in order to be taken off the streets. Basically, if you see something even a little suspicious, CALL THE POLICE. Chances are, you're taking one of these guys off the street.

DogtownBnR · PostDec 03, 2010#16332010-12-03T21:31+00:00

Two shot in broad daylight this morning in the Ville http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 2bc8b.html

Man killed overnight in Carondelet
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 2bc8b.html

Isom wants special unit to fight crime ridden areas
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 97c1a.html

81 year old woman killed in East St. Louis
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 5699e.html

Funeral home shooting may not be gang related after all
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 42046.html

Add this to the list....

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 2bc8b.html

Ok, let's see. Kill or critically injure a man for his beer and cigs. The mindset of the average street thug just baffles me. So, when he's done smoking and drinking the beer, does he sit and think, 'man, I might have killed a guy for last nights fix'
Not likely, probably forgot about it.

bonwich · PostDec 07, 2010#16342010-12-07T16:46+00:00

Mass car clouting, theft in Grand Center.

This kind of stuff makes me insane. Sure, no one was hurt -- except, of course, the already shaky reputation of Grand Center and of the City as a destination.

It doesn't help that Grand Center Inc. recently bowed down to the lot operators during its ill-fated, abortive attempt to drive business away from meters and onto the lots.

RobbyD · PostDec 07, 2010#16352010-12-07T16:54+00:00

^I hope there is a parking lot attendant moving back in with momma...

The article said an attendant was on duty...

ttricamo · PostDec 07, 2010#16362010-12-07T18:29+00:00

Gone Corporate wrote:The advantage Commissioner Gordon has is that Batman's around to deliver some vigilante justice. We don't have a billionaire ninja with a blood vendetta and a weapons company to reign in all the "jokers" around town. If you know one, hire him. Hell, I'd take Coon & Friends right about now.

Maybe we could loan-out Ladue's ninja (with a blood vendetta)?

tge-atw · PostDec 22, 2010#16372010-12-22T13:54+00:00

last night around 10:40 I was on my front porch saying goodbye to a friend when all of a sudden a powerful explosion occurred somewhere substantially south of my house (Gravois Park? Dutchtown?). It was a big explosion and there was a major shockwave that thudded into my chest. At the time, there was a helicopter circling over the area where it seemed like the explosion originated. There were also several sirens going off. I don't see it in the paper this morning, anybody have information?

lukethedrifter · PostDec 23, 2010#16382010-12-23T17:25+00:00

There was a building fire in the 5500 block of S Compton that came in around 10:54. Don't know if there was an associated explosion but I can look into it.

RobbyD · PostDec 23, 2010#16392010-12-23T18:10+00:00

^^Try a Howitzer cannon at about 100 meters...

If that doesn't make you sit up and pay attention, then I believe the word is 'psychotic'...

And its funny, because there are some similarities here in Afghanistan with the States in that it can be a small minority that hold an entire village population hostage. An village can be labeled as dangerous (because it is), however the danger is supplied by very few of its residents, much like my experieces working and trying to help in north St. Louis...

DogtownBnR · PostDec 30, 2010#16402010-12-30T13:46+00:00

Good job STLPD...They caught the thug running around South City robbing businesses.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 78c22.html

PostJan 05, 2011#16412011-01-05T13:46+00:00

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.as ... 47&catid=3

Carjacking at Lumiere Place....I thought casino security was pretty good, guess not.

RobbyD · PostJan 07, 2011#16422011-01-07T08:23+00:00

The threat of crime, real and imagined, has to be one of the most frightening states of mind...But here's another article comparing one's statistical probability of death in exburbs vs. urban neighborhoods...

Very interesting and ties into previous discussions on this site about just exactly what the greatest threats out there are...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... fatalities

boombox · PostJan 07, 2011#16432011-01-07T14:43+00:00

^Hey I love Bikeforums, do you post there? That argument reminds me of this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Fear-Amer ... 0465014909

I agree with the assertion that driving is more dangerous in exurban areas but I'm not sure I agree that random death is more likely. Maybe it's about the same? I wonder if the guys behind Freakonomics have ever tackled this issue.

RobbyD · PostJan 08, 2011#16442011-01-08T05:54+00:00

^I don't post on the site...I saw the link on a someone's Twitter thread...

I'd like to the the author's hard data...remember he's only comparing the odds of dying, not of being a victim of crime...

Tho frankly the safest place I feel I've ever lived in was on the other side of the Hudson from Manhattan in Hoboken, NJ. There was crime (I got to see someone throw a hand gun into the river then speed off...interesting...), but the crowds in the city and availability of law enforcement made any attempt at street crime foolish. I was stuck on Manhattan Island during the blackout of '04 (?) and, seriously, that afternoon and all night, everyone came together. I'm not an overly hippie kinda person, but seriously that's what happened. There was no looting, no fights, no nothing! Teh hotdog vendors made a killing and everyone looked out for each other. A most amazing night, really. I honestly wonder how some people end up with the notion that cities have marauding bands of thugs ready to prey on sweet, innocent country folk. That's just silly.

DogtownBnR · PostJan 17, 2011#16452011-01-17T15:49+00:00

Heard that the Refabulous Resale shop on Meramec was robbed by 3 suspects at gunpoint a week or so ago. The suspects got away with money, merchandise and the purses of the owner and workers. I guess this was not reported on the news because nobody was seriously hurt. Apparently, the suspects used the stolen credit cards and wrote checks.
Not sure if the police have been able to track down the suspects.

PostJan 17, 2011#16462011-01-17T16:59+00:00

^From the police report:

Three suspects, black males, ages 15, 15 and 10 were arrested. the incident occurred Jan. 10 at 2:39 p.m. The report was written at 5:04 p.m. Victim was a white female, 38. Witnesses were a black male 19 and two white females 56 and 25. Weapon displayed during robbery was a firearm.

Are you F'ing kidding me!!! Ages 15-15-10.....10!!!!
I say arrest the parent(s)immediately. This is an outrage!
When a 10 year old is participating in an armed robbery, you know
there is a problem at home.

Why did this not make the news!?!

PostJan 17, 2011#16472011-01-17T18:08+00:00

^My mistake, those ages are estimated. Usually if suspect age is not known, an estimated age is put in the police report, based upon witness description.
Apparently, the perps must have been pretty young, to be described that way.
According to my 'media' friend, that is why it hasn't made the news. If it were verified that one of the perps is 10, I'm sure it would have.

gary kreie · PostFeb 16, 2011#16482011-02-16T03:09+00:00

CQ Press left St. Louis out of the Metro Area crime rankings for 2010 without explanation. I sent them an email asking why St. Louis metro was not ranked in 2010. Here is their reply:

"The St. Louis metropolitan area in question includes a number of towns in Illinois. (Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair). Forcible rape statistics (one of the factors in the rankings) were not available for metropolitan areas across the state of Illinois, thus the St. Louis metropolitan area could not be included in the rankings. "

RobbyD · PostFeb 16, 2011#16492011-02-16T16:10+00:00

gary kreie wrote:CQ Press left St. Louis out of the Metro Area crime rankings for 2010 without explanation. I sent them an email asking why St. Louis metro was not ranked in 2010. Here is their reply:

"The St. Louis metropolitan area in question includes a number of towns in Illinois. (Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair). Forcible rape statistics (one of the factors in the rankings) were not available for metropolitan areas across the state of Illinois, thus the St. Louis metropolitan area could not be included in the rankings. "

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Someone please calculate about where the metro area would have ranked...I know I'd be very curious to know and wouldn't really know how to go about it...

quincunx · PostFeb 16, 2011#16502011-02-16T16:18+00:00

CQ wrote:. . . number of towns in Illinois. (Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair).

Those are counties, idiots. Where are the lists for 2010?

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