Mugging Attempt on Prospect Place/Underhill
Comments
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lol you guys are right they no longer use race for black when describing suspects other groups are still safe to use.
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I had a bunch of school kids take stuff out of my jacket ($60 and my cell phone) when I was getting my nails done. Cops came and I was describing them - "in school uniform, around 13-15 years old", etc. One cop was white, the other black.
They asked me what color the girls were. I said they were all black. Black cop gets on the radio and says "looking for 5-6 black teenage girls....".
Black was the FIRST description out of his mouth. He obviously didn't see anything wrong with it, and the only reason *I* didn't say black first was out of an attempt to be overly politically correct.....yet they WERE all black and I think that's perfectly OK to say when describing them. Of course I noticed other things - the color of a few jackets, the school uniform, etc. etc....and told all of that to the cop.
I bet the person who was upset about this (forgot your name) has used many desciptives that others might find offensive - like fat or short or ugly or Chinese as the first adjective to describe somebody. Should you be called a racist/weight-ist/height-ist every time? I don't think so.
For the OP - I'm glad you are ok. I'm sure it was scary and not what you expect to happen anywhere at 7pm. -
.....and when I had a guy run me off the road and punch me in the head in broad daylight (road rage asshole) and called the cops, I described him as "White, tall, fat and bald....wearing a plaid shirt, driving a blue pickup truck".
So, what does that mean? Can I not describe him as white without pissing somebody off? -
vagabond wrote: When I got to Park Slope, I called and got the main HQ. They in turn gave me the phone # for the 76th instead of the 77th. The 76th took my info and the description of the guys and said they would pass it on. I should call and make sure that is what happened.
the # for the 77th is: 718-735-0611
FYI, if someone else is attacked, I could definitely pick the main guy out of a lineup. I recognized him today without the stripped jacket. The other guys had on the same jackets so that was easy.
i think you should call them directly. -
vanilla wrote: [quote=vagabond]When I got to Park Slope, I called and got the main HQ. They in turn gave me the phone # for the 76th instead of the 77th. The 76th took my info and the description of the guys and said they would pass it on. I should call and make sure that is what happened.
the # for the 77th is: 718-735-0611
FYI, if someone else is attacked, I could definitely pick the main guy out of a lineup. I recognized him today without the stripped jacket. The other guys had on the same jackets so that was easy.
i think you should call them directly.
That # s/b on your cell phone as well as 911 -
Flexichick wrote: .....and when I had a guy run me off the road and punch me in the head in broad daylight (road rage asshole) and called the cops, I described him as "White, tall, fat and bald....wearing a plaid shirt, driving a blue pickup truck".
snow hater :O.
So, what does that mean? Can I not describe him as white without pissing somebody off? -
And here I was just thinking she was after Larry the Cable Guy:
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Every time I have dealt with a cop face-to-face or reported a disturbance and/or crime via 311 or 911, the first thing I am asked is skin color of the person. There is no variable on this whether the person is male, female, black, white, hispanic or whatever.
Calling out a physical description is in no way wrong. -
jeffrey wrote: And here I was just thinking she was after Larry the Cable Guy:
I've heard of this guy, but really have no idea who he is.....that said, that's pretty much what the guy looked like (except he wasn't wearing the hat). -
jeffrey wrote: And here I was just thinking she was after Larry the Cable Guy:
I don't think it was him, his wife/sister wasn't in the truck -
Ok it's my turn. I firmly believe she was about to be Robbed, I commend her on her actions and getting a good look at these guys. Theres been a Robbery problem in that section of the precinct recently, and what vagabond describes defenitely fits the pattern. As for the whole politically correct issue, People are People, using the term black is not politically incorrect. Those who feel that it is a Racist remark, are usually Racists themselves. Now I'm curious what school did you see them leaving from? What direction did they go from the school?
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jgregorie wrote: The politically correct way to describe this incident would be to say " i was about to be mugged by 4 teenage boys "
zOMG ur so sexist and age...ist! You were about to be mugged by four people... -
Now I'm curious what school did you see them leaving from? What direction did they go from the school?
I didn't see the school. There were lots of kids walking on Bergen in groups at about 3-4PM and I assumed that school just finished for the day. I was leaving La Gamin, walking down Vanderbilt and saw them walking on Bergen crossing Vanderbilt, walking toward Flatbush.
I recognized the stripped jacket guy (who was not wearing the jacket). He didn't notice me. The really skinny tall kid with the black shinny jacket noticed me and told the others. They all turned around but kept walking and looking back at me. The skinny guy is really dark skinned. He is the one who immediately covered his face. I am fairly sure he knows me and thinks that I know him, but I don't.
I also noticed that the guy who was across the street when the 3 were behind me had on a dark charcoal gray jacket not black. He was wearing it yesterday. It is not shinny but flat almost like silk.
One other stupid thing that I can't believe I remembered but affirmed when I saw them yesterday was that they were wearing black lowtop shoes like vans or converse with a thick white stripe on the sole.
MOD EDIT: Fixed your quote tags -
These kind of attacks are increasing around the city, not just in "fringe" or "bad" neighborhoods. Brooklyn Heights is having its own assault crime spree as well.
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vagabond: thank you for posting the details about this incident. hopefully it
will help others avoid from being mugged. I hope you find a resolution to
your being identified by these thugs, before you feel the need to move out
of the neighborhood. -
You guys don't understand because you are white. It is plain and simple. And I can really tell that you don't understand by the jokes that you guys make.
I I will be the first to admit there are many things that I don't understand because I'm not white. I have absolutely no problem using race as a tool for identification, but I do have a problem when someone comes on here and starts the story off with I was almost mugged by four black young guys, but leaves the rest of the description about their jackets, weight, etc... until later in the post. That means first it was most important that they were young and black. Not that they were young and had distinctive jackets.
In the neighborhood that we live in do you really think that the description of black teen is really going to help? However, a distinctive jacket is a much better tool.
My problem with Vagabond's story is:
1. They never said a word to her. I feel like she is going to have these kids arrested without knowing their true intention. Sure, I admit if what she says is true it was indeed suspicious, but was it an attempted mugging? Given what she says I definitely don't think it was an attempt.
2. Her story doesn't make sense. If the kids were trying to rob her and got scared off wouldn't they run in the opposite direction to a less crowded street? But since I'm not a criminal I will concede this point because I don't know what a criminal would do. -
cwh812 wrote: You guys don't understand because you are white.
And I'm kind of guessing you're male -- please correct me if I'm wrong. But I, as a woman living in this neighborhood, sure as hell want as many descriptive details as possible about any group of four people who are targeting women walking around the neighborhood alone.cwh812 wrote: My problem with Vagabond's story is:
My problem with your logic here is:
1. They never said a word to her. I feel like she is going to have these kids arrested without knowing their true intention. Sure, I admit if what she says is true it was indeed suspicious, but was it an attempted mugging? Given what she says I definitely don't think it was an attempt.
2. Her story doesn't make sense. If the kids were trying to rob her and got scared off wouldn't they run in the opposite direction to a less crowded street? But since I'm not a criminal I will concede this point because I don't know what a criminal would do.
1. Nobody can just "have" somebody arrested. It's not like the police are just waiting to do the public's bidding and arrest anyone we don't like. The police may, however, already be looking for these kids if they've mugged anyone else, and her detailed description could help them.
And four people chasing after a single woman on a dark street sure as hell sounds like it was headed towards being a mugging to me.
2. Someone earlier in this thread already pointed out a good explanation for why these kids might head for the more crowded street -- it's easier to blend in with the people on the sidewalk and get away. -
appolonia666, Yes, I'm male, but I do live with my fiancee and care about both of our safety. My fiancee was almost mugged in a different section of Brooklyn (Flatbush) 1.5 years ago. In that instance the person actually grabbed her bag and she screamed bloody murder and they ran off.
1. No, you can have someone arrested by telling the police that these kids were about to mug you. If she saw them again, which she said she did and saw a police officer at the same time and then went and told the police that they tried to mug her, the police would arrest them.
I admit chasing after someone is enough for an attempt, but were they chasing her if they stopped when she turned around? When I think of chasing I think of "not stopping until I get to you and do what I'm going to do."
2. Vanderbilt is a place to blend in? Are you kidding me? Maybe Times Square, but not Vanderbilt. -
cwh812 wrote: appolonia666, Yes, I'm male, but I do live with my fiancee and care about both of our safety. My fiancee was almost mugged in a different section of Brooklyn (Flatbush) 1.5 years ago. In that instance the person actually grabbed her bag and she screamed bloody murder and they ran off.
perhaps you need to teach these kids how to properly commit a mugging. I totally buy vagabond's story. it is the classic intro to the follow up of "and then I was surrounded, my bag pulled off of my shoulder" etc etc etc. I haven't witnessed it or experienced it (knock on wood) but know enough folks that have that I can recognize the signs. if I saw some kids acting suspicious - like covering their faces - I'd be concerned, too.
1. No, you can have someone arrested by telling the police that these kids were about to mug you. If she saw them again, which she said she did and saw a police officer at the same time and then went and told the police that they tried to mug her, the police would arrest them.
I admit chasing after someone is enough for an attempt, but were they chasing her if they stopped when she turned around? When I think of chasing I think of "not stopping until I get to you and do what I'm going to do."
2. Vanderbilt is a place to blend in? Are you kidding me? Maybe Times Square, but not Vanderbilt. -
I'm just saying that what I think she experienced was not an "attempt" in the legal sense of the word and I don't think that that would be enough to convict alone. They did not say a word, did not touch her and did not make any other menacing gestures. All they did was run towards her (some people actually run for fun). I know it was suspicious and I admit if her story if completely true, they were probably up to no good.
perhaps you need to teach these kids how to properly commit a mugging. I totally buy vagabond's story. it is the classic intro to the follow up of "and then I was surrounded, my bag pulled off of my shoulder" etc etc etc. I haven't witnessed it or experienced it (knock on wood) but know enough folks that have that I can recognize the signs. if I saw some kids acting suspicious - like covering their faces - I'd be concerned, too.
Had they actually said something like give me your money or actually touched her, believe me you would not be hearing a peep out of me. I would be standing in line with you guys saying lock those young black thugs up, but without the "black", of course. -
Subject: cwh812
Rev Jesse Jackson once said-
There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then look around and see somebody WHITE and feel releived.
If a leading civil rights leader feels this way, why shouldn't a lone white woman or any woman on a dark street,be concerned
I ask you,are they both racist or victims of common sense? -
cwh812 wrote: Had they actually said something like give me your money or actually touched her, believe me you would not be hearing a peep out of me. I would be standing in line with you guys saying lock those young black thugs up, but without the "black", of course.
not sure when legalese was brought into this - she was giving a warning of suspicious activity. she described the kids. she described their clothing. follow up posts have further described them. nothing in her posts have indicated that she feels maliciously about their skin color. it is a simple descriptor. and, again, no one is trying to build a case against them - we all know that legally speaking nothing happened. -
cwh812 wrote:
This is just splitting hairs but again, I was really late meeting my husband and walking very fast. I could hear them TRYING to catch up to me. When I turned around the first time, I was still out of range, I could have (and probably should have) run at that point.
I admit chasing after someone is enough for an attempt, but were they chasing her if they stopped when she turned around? When I think of chasing I think of "not stopping until I get to you and do what I'm going to do."
Anyway, even "pretending" mug someone is a dangerous game. I could have been hurt AND they could have been hurt. I could have had knowledge of this mugging problem in the neighborhood and been carrying mace or worse. I could have yelled for help and gotten it. They could have been hurt and/or arrested. If these idiots can't figure this out and need the police to tell them that "fake" mugging attempts are not acceptable, then so be it. -
alafairnadia wrote: [quote=cwh812]Had they actually said something like give me your money or actually touched her, believe me you would not be hearing a peep out of me. I would be standing in line with you guys saying lock those young black thugs up, but without the "black", of course.
not sure when legalese was brought into this - she was giving a warning of suspicious activity. she described the kids. she described their clothing. follow up posts have further described them. nothing in her posts have indicated that she feels maliciously about their skin color. it is a simple descriptor. and, again, no one is trying to build a case against them - we all know that legally speaking nothing happened.
She also called the police to report the incident. I don't think that she knows legally speaking nothing happened. -
cwh812 wrote: [quote=alafairnadia][quote=cwh812]Had they actually said something like give me your money or actually touched her, believe me you would not be hearing a peep out of me. I would be standing in line with you guys saying lock those young black thugs up, but without the "black", of course.
not sure when legalese was brought into this - she was giving a warning of suspicious activity. she described the kids. she described their clothing. follow up posts have further described them. nothing in her posts have indicated that she feels maliciously about their skin color. it is a simple descriptor. and, again, no one is trying to build a case against them - we all know that legally speaking nothing happened.
She also called the police to report the incident. I don't think that she knows legally speaking nothing happened.
the police want suspicious activity reported so they can track patterns. legally, they can't arrest these kids for what they did to her. but, the cops can enter that data into a database and see if other reports match up. she did the right thing. -
I do know that legally speaking, nothing happened. That is why I waited to call in the first place. I was having dinner and realized that if these kids didn't get my purse, they might try it again.
I would feel terrible if I didn't call in with a description that may have prevented another attempt or robbery. -
vagabond wrote: [quote=cwh812]
This is just splitting hairs but again, I was really late meeting my husband and walking very fast. I could hear them TRYING to catch up to me. When I turned around the first time, I was still out of range, I could have (and probably should have) run at that point.
I admit chasing after someone is enough for an attempt, but were they chasing her if they stopped when she turned around? When I think of chasing I think of "not stopping until I get to you and do what I'm going to do."
Anyway, even "pretending" mug someone is a dangerous game. I could have been hurt AND they could have been hurt. I could have had knowledge of this mugging problem in the neighborhood and been carrying mace or worse. I could have yelled for help and gotten it. They could have been hurt and/or arrested. If these idiots can't figure this out and need the police to tell them that "fake" mugging attempts are not acceptable, then so be it.
I have no doubt you were scared, but maybe they were late to a meeting too. Maybe they were trying to get somewhere quickly were just walking in the same direction. Maybe they saw you turn around and were like, "Oh crap, we were walking too fast up on this lady and now she thinks we were trying to rob her." Maybe when you went to take out your phone and they thought, Oh, shit she's calling 911 and then ran. I just saying that w/o them saying a word and without them touching you you don't know their true intentions. -
Then why cover there faces like criminals and if they were so late why not keep walking when I ran into the street? I ran into the street toward Vanderbilt but stood still as soon as I saw people walking toward me (from both sides) and they stopped walking too. They kept pace with me which indicated that they were not late for a meeting or running for fun.
Does "give me your purse" define your standard of proof? -
Restless Native wrote: [quote=t-fal]
A 30 something yr old guy riding around on a skateboard? Uh..
my 30 something boyfriend nearly had his skateboard jacked by a team of little menaces who were out breaking windows in our hood.
as far as midlife crises go, it beats a sportscar and a 22 year old "bit on the side" doesn't it?
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vagabond wrote: Then why cover there faces like criminals and if they were so late why not keep walking when I ran into the street? I ran into the street toward Vanderbilt but stood still as soon as I saw people walking toward me (from both sides) and they stopped walking too. They kept pace with me which indicated that they were not late for a meeting or running for fun.
So they stopped walking and kept pace even though they saw other people coming? That doesn't sound like they ran off because of the other people.
Does "give me your purse" define your standard of proof?
Yes "give me your purse" would meet the standard of proof, or even a "hey lady, what you got there." Or any type of menacing movement or threat or any physical contact. Covering your face is conspicuous, but many people cover their faces for many different reasons, not only criminals.
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