Results tagged “crime”
So, there's a connection between the gear the Yankees wear and criminals. Wow. That is so 1919. Yeah, that's right, they stole Babe Ruth. Derek Jeter says he pilfered first base, too. Recidivism. The New York Times says that NYPD stats reveal criminals often choose to rock hats or shirts sporting the logo of the NYY. Few crooks wear Mets apparel. Why are criminals so attracted to Yankees colors? We aren't sure. Those pinstripes might look like prison bars, though.
What do you do when someone (allegedly) takes bribes and resigns a position as a result of accusations? In Boston, you give that person a pension. Three cheers—wait, let's make it five cheers, one for each of the thousands an accused criminal gets from our pocketbook each month—for the Commonwealth. [Globe]
A former Harvard student with the unlikely name of Forrest N. Blackwelder-Baggett allegedly found himself in the grip of restaurant owner Sean Gharibi, begging to be released after allegedly holding him up at gunpoint in Cedar Park, Texas last month. Blackwelder-Baggett was expelled from the school after his "Dionysian" personality led him to threaten a bunch of kids who didn't want to room with him with physical violence. His alleged robbery career, while as unsuccessful as his career at Harvard, might have been just as costly. He is being held on $50,000 bond. [Harvard Crimson]
MBTA has released crime statistics for 2009, which show that serious "Part 1" crime is down 21.7% from 2008 and petty crime was down 26% from 701 to 522 incidents. All incidents were at their lowest since 1980, when 3,304 serious crimes were recorded. Three thousand or so incidents out of 370 million passenger trips taken in 2009 isn't half bad. By contrast, fare evasion citations more than doubled, from 1,267 in 2008 to 2,864 in 2009, suggesting that the MBTA could be slowly making its way back to financial functionality. Or not. Transitpolice.us should be posting the updated information soon.
Boston.com reports that Brookline police have arrested a suspect in Monday morning's Coolidge Corner rape. Brookline police haven't announced the specifics and will be issuing a press release this afternoon.
Michael Flaherty is throwing everything he has at the crime issue during his Boston mayoral run. And what he has doesn't include a copyeditor. Check it out. About ten seconds into this new spot, Flaherty says:
The victim of yesterday's shooting outside a Harvard dorm died this morning, WBZ reports. The non-student was apparently targeted by three suspects who are also not Harvard students. The county is now treating the incident as a homicide.
Two Wheeler's Frozen Dessert managers, apparently unaware both that ice cream is not vegan (though vegan imitations can be delicious) and 18 is not the drinking age, were arrested yesterday on charges of disturbing the peace and providing alcohol to underage individuals. But what about depriving people of dairy—is that a crime?
If a "friend" ever says this to you during a fight on the phone, you might wanna believe it. (And ditch that friend as soon as possible.) Lazelle Williams of Boston allegedly stabbed his friend after a telephone argument. The "friend" was in the grocery store at the time of the phone fight, and Williams enacted revenge by stabbing the victim in the stomach and hand when he returned home. Williams then allegedly took a woman and three children hostage. He freed two kids, and let the third go once police officers arranged for him to talk to his mother. Williams will be arraigned on Monday in Dorchester District Court on charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, making threats, home invasion, and assault with intent to murder. Careful with those phone conversations, folks.
Our friends at the Herald astutely point out that police officers on road detail have made over 100 arrests since January 2007, insinuating that we'll be less safe if normal folks are allowed to work details in lieu of police officers. Gosh, it is so sweet and touching that cops continue to do their real jobs while serving details--just imagine how many more arrests they might make if they were patrolling the streets, investigating cases, and following leads, instead of tooting whistles and waving their arms! Additionally, most of these situations caused the officer to leave the detail to make the arrests, meaning that no one was doing that all-important detail job (perish the thought!). A Beacon Hill Institute Study from 2004 concluded that police details cost the state millions of dollars and do not improve safety. As with those "consumer-protecting" price stickers, it may shock Bay Staters to learn that no other state puts police on detail--and crime has not swallowed up the rest of the country as a result. It's time for Massachusetts to stop doing things a certain way just because it's always been like that, and start doing things that actually make sense. We know this may cause some heads to explode, but we're willing to take that loss.
The narrow view of Allston she offers (frat parties, the late Mr. Butch, "crusting sidewalk vomit," great takeout options) wouldn't be too objectionable if it wasn't pierced by "...the uncomfortably frequent gunshots and occasional homicides, the strings of robberies, and having to turn three locks every night before going to sleep."
After a group of thugs allegedly assaulted a man in Davis Square, he posted the whole thing on the davis_square Livejournal group. The cops couldn't help him out, but maybe the internet can. LJers are sharpening their pitchforks and giving legal advice. At the very least, prospects look grim for a cashier at the Davis Square Tedeschi's, who may have accepted a bribe from the thug crew.
Someone stole an Incredible Hulk statue that was outside a movie theater in Lowell in honor of the latest "Hulk" movie.
Fun palace and Boston Blotter superstar the Good Time Emporium is closing as a direct result of IKEA's arrival in Somerville.
--One person was shot at Ryan Playground in Mattapan yesterday afternoon. The injuries were non-life-threatening, but could the shooters at least keep their beef away from the playground? [Boston Globe]
--A man was arrested for allegedly beating another man to death early Saturday at a house party in Norwood. The fatal brawl broke out in the home of the alleged attacker's mother. The mother hosted the party and allegedly tried to kick out the son "over damage to the interior of her home." [Boston Globe, WBZ]
--The captain of a high-school basketball team was gunned down on the streets of Springfield early this morning. [AP/Boston Herald]
Bad, baaaad cop (yes, he was convicted) Robert Pulido was sentenced to 26 years in the pokey. Commissioner Ed Davis says in a statement, "Our department is comprised of officers who find Pulido’s actions despicable and the punishment fitting." Pulido's actions included getting caught by the FBI offering to protect a shipment of cocaine.
The Gloucester woman who struck the car that Sandra Bullock and Jesse James were riding in over the weekend is still feeling her 15 minutes of infamy. 64-year-old Lucile P. Gatchell pled not guilty to driving under the influence today in Gloucester District Court. She will return to court June 6.
The case of Chelsea Frazier, the Southbridge mom who was shot to death in front of her baby son in the Bronx over the weekend, gets stranger and stranger. At first, it appeared to be a robbery as her fiancee, Carlos Cruz, fought with a man over a gold chain. Then it came out that she had broken up with the fiancee, and he may have wanted revenge, so police arrested him.
Over the weekend, Chelsea Frazier, a young mother from Southbridge, was shot to death in the Bronx. Her fiancee told police that a man tried to steal his gold chain while he, the mother and their baby were in the car. When the story broke out commenters on Gothamist were soon suggesting that the father may have perpetrated the crime.
On Bostonist's viral video feature, we saw a gentleman compose a song dedicated to the Bruins, and he threw in a little "pee pee dance." It was cute. But someone did a not-so-cute honest-to-goodness "pee pee dance" at TD Banknorth during the Bruins' game:
--A young woman from Southbridge died from a gunshot wound after an alleged robbery attempt in the Bronx, NY. The 18-year-old's fiance was also wounded in the incident. Her young child, who was nearby, was unharmed. [Boston Herald, Gothamist]