Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2007 » Random Vandalism/Unsucessful Crime near the Magic Stick « Previous Next »
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Markemarx
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Username: Markemarx

Post Number: 31
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:48 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I know I have heard about the random acts of crime in the area. But in the past 2 days, I have known two people who had their passenger side window broken into for no apparent reason while parked just south of Alexandrine on Woodward. Neither had apparent attempts of stealing the car or the radio. Oddly, in one of the cases, a girl had a Organic Chemistry book stolen, but her wallet under the seat and CD's were untouched.


Another twist, my car was parked directly infront from one of the victims, and I had a easily removable satellite radio/cd deck in plain sight(my own ignorance). However, my car was untouched.

I guess the lesson is pay for secure parking. It is weird though that this is the first time I have directly known people affected by this type of crime, and it happened on 2 consecutive days.
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Rjlj
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Username: Rjlj

Post Number: 333
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:52 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Some people in that area really need a serious azz kicking. This has been going on for years.
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Sharmaal
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Username: Sharmaal

Post Number: 1117
Registered: 09-2004
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 10:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Same type of issue downtown, specifically on Park and Adams. I think the folks committing these petty crimes are street people rather than professional thieves.


They have no use for electronics and Cd's. Nor do they have the time to check under the seat. These are strictly smash and grab.


The book can easily be sold back to Marwills, they know at least that much. Usually they take some change.


Replacing the items they take is usually less than the cost of a new window (Organic Chem book might be a rare exception).



Doesn't matter what city you live in. Don't keep anything laying out in the open. Not a guarantee that you won't get broken into, but it doesn't give anyone a reason to bother.
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Iheartthed
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Username: Iheartthed

Post Number: 782
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 10:10 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Those textbooks are expensive!
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Jt1
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Username: Jt1

Post Number: 9187
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 10:32 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I always wonder if ti would do any good if DPD set up stings in the area for the car thefts and break ins. It doesn't seem like it woudl require much staffing but I don't know how thin they are and if it is another situation where the courts would give the offender a slap on the wrist and continue to send them on their way.
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Vas
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Username: Vas

Post Number: 714
Registered: 01-2004
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 10:36 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah that crap always goes on. I've just recently felt like setting up a sting operation. It happens every night and it would be easy to find the crackhead that does it.
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Markemarx
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Username: Markemarx

Post Number: 32
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 12:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah I thought about the high buy-back value of textbooks too. Although I have never sold back to Marwill, at Barnes&Noble, they require to see your WSU ID when buying back books.
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Rocket_city
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Username: Rocket_city

Post Number: 255
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 12:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

FYI, I ride my bike to work past that area every day and almost every morning there is a fresh batch of broken glass on the curb. From the Professional Plaza up to the Magic Stick is the worst, but all of Woodward in Midtown is risky parking overnight.

Cars parked on my street leave their windows rolled down over night.
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Michigansheik
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Username: Michigansheik

Post Number: 197
Registered: 09-2005
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 11:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i had my passenger window smashed at alexandrine and woodward two weeks ago. the problem, according to dpd, is that the homeless don't go to court and can not pay the fines and once they arrest the person committing the act, 10 more are there to take his/her place. pay for parking until things get better.
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Kathinozarks
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Username: Kathinozarks

Post Number: 497
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 11:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I lived and worked in Detroit from 1985 - 1992 and was out until all hours of the night. Going to my car alone at night blocks away in Downtown, Greektown, Woodward, St. Andrews Hall, Paycheck's in Hamtramck, etc. Friend lived in the Palm Building on Jefferson, spent time there. Drove up Gratiot to 8 mile at 2am to go home (alone)quite a bit.

Nothing ever happened to me or my car. I just can't believe how it's changed. I worked at Union Street and never even heard of the stuff you guys are saying happens now.

When did all this destruction of peoples' property and sense of well-being begin?

I wish you all the best and am here to say that there is at least one city in the U.S. where you always leave your car doors unlocked and don't worry about theft.

Of course, it's a small town with very little to do after 5pm. We do have a private club/bar that closes at 10pm. I guess it's a trade-off. I'll take the small, dry (no booze sales)town any day.

I hope people don't stop going to the Union Street area. It really was fun there.
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Gravitymachine
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Username: Gravitymachine

Post Number: 1659
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 10:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

paying for parking is totally worth it. i dunno how many times i've left my car behind the majestic overnight (too greased to drive it home) and have, to date, not had a single issue with doing so. It's well lit, and there may even be cameras back there, and i assume the usual sh*theads know better than to go back there
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Swingline
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Username: Swingline

Post Number: 812
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 10:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I too have noticed the massive amounts of broken glass in that area in the past few months. There is obviously a local crackhead/alcholic/homeless cadre that stays nearby that targets the area. These folks will fuck your car up just to get to the thirty five cents visible on your center console. Paid parking is probably in order around there for after-dark visits to Union Street, Garden Bowl and/or Orchestra Hall.
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Cambrian
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Username: Cambrian

Post Number: 1099
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 11:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Knock on wood, I've never had an issue either. Perhaps my old pickup does not look like it would contain anything valuable?
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E_hemingway
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Username: E_hemingway

Post Number: 1188
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 11:41 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

I wish you all the best and am here to say that there is at least one city in the U.S. where you always leave your car doors unlocked and don't worry about theft.



You are just begging to be a victim. It's a myth that petty crime is contained in small-town America to the point where one doesn't have to lock their doors. Many criminals purposely prey on boondocksville because there are so many easy targets. The number of police reports on petty theft where valuables such as wads of cash or electronics are left in plain sight in unlocked cars with the windows down and the keys still in the ignition are enough to make your jaw drop. Enterprising thieves, both local and from out of town, will routinely go through an exurban sub division in the middle of the night, hit about a dozen or so unlocked cars and make off with a small fortune. This happens all of the time.

Now, I'm not saying crime is as bad in small-town America as it is in the big city. Far from it. Petty theft is much worse in Detroit than Dundee. Plus, petty theft is more dramatic, i.e. broken window glass, in big cities because people tend to take more precautions and there is a high concentration of visible indigent. But petty theft is much more prevalent in the exurbs than the people want to admit.

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