Is Philly's Crime Rate Spilling Over To Main Line?

Submitted by SaveArdmoreCoalition on Wed, 2006-09-20 14:26.
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As we hear it from Penn Wynne (they asked us to say a little something - we are withholding names to protect the innocent), a perfectly law abiding citizen in a Penn Wynne neighborhood (which is on the Philly border) was mugged this week pretty darn badly. This person was mugged by a bunch of youths who apparently were later apprehended nearby in Philly, and were also apparently released a couple/few hours later???? Is this true? How can you be young and think it's cool to be violent? To us that is quite so scary.

So we have to ask: does the Main Line have to worry about Philly's crime rate spreading west? Philadelphia is supposedly number 6 in violent crimes nationwide. From the barrage of local television news, we know that the murder rate in Philly is close to 300 already for the year, right? (little more, little less?)

Plenty of our suburbs border Philly - not just Lower Merion, but Haverford Township as well. Crime in Philadelphia is out of control and it is affecting our residents. Today's mugging could be tomorrow's murder

So, we are going to suggest what we suggested way back when at the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006 when there were some issues in Ardmore: become more active in your own neighborhood - Keep an eye out in your own neighborhood. Be aware of your surroundings. Have a buddy system. Report suspicious activities to the police, your commissioners, your local papers. If you see a crime - report it. If you are a victim of crime - report it. Don't be a vigilante - if the rules and laws of society are going to work, we have to work within them. No more violence begets violence.

Philadelphia is a city totally out of control - it's not just us saying it - read this:

Violent crime up in the city
Phila. was No. 1 among big U.S. cities in '05. Some say numbers can deceive.
By Barbara Boyer and Peter Mucha
Inquirer Staff Writers

When it comes to violent crime among America's largest cities, Philadelphia is the worst, the FBI reported this week.

However, when overall crime, which includes nonviolent offenses such as burglary and theft, is considered, the city drops to No. 5, while Dallas tops the list.

On Monday, the FBI released 2005 crime statistics showing that from 2004 to 2005, the violent-crime rate in the United States increased 1.3 percent, while property-crime rates decreased 2.4 percent.

In Philadelphia last year, violent crime was up 3.4 percent, including a 15 percent increase in homicides. Other violent crimes include forcible rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults.

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Posted by karengotlieb (RealityChick) on Wed, 2006-09-20 15:27

Location: The Village

Neighbors:

This vicious attack was on my husband who was innocently walking home from the JCC. The attack happened just about one house away right on Haverford Road. He was attacked by six teenage thugs, none of whom lived in this community. They came here looking for a victim.

The collaborative effort between Philadelphia Police Department and Lower Merion Police Department was tremendous and all six were apprehended shortly after the crime. Unfortunately, all six were also home before we were out of the Emergency Room!!!

What we have learned since Monday night through a tremendous outpouring of support from the community is that we are under attack. Is that drama? Maybe you would think so if you didn't hear the following list of reports from neighbors:

gangs of kids looking in windows of homes for sale
attempted burglaries
car thefts
suspicious persons in yards at 2a.m.
bikes stolen
car-jacking
empty dime bags in the park and on lawns
terroristic threats

Most neighbors have told me they either just didn't take the time to call the police or didn't know they COULD call the police. My advice: CALL THE POLICE!!!!! Each time one of these punks gets away with something, they up it a notch and try something new. What's next, guns??

As fabulous as the response was from Lower Merion PD, particularly from Officer Selera, we need them actively patrolling our streets. Spelled out: on the side streets, in marked cars, driving - not parked in a lot somewhere. We need them to be proactive, out looking for anything suspicious and not waiting for the report to come in. How did six thugs walk all through the neighborhood not noticed, not stopped???

I've personally been told before that the only people in LM complaining about police presence are people in Penn Wynne. Hard to imagine.

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Posted by SaveArdmoreCoalition on Wed, 2006-09-20 15:30

We are so sorry that this happened to your husband. We didn't want to name names. We need to all work together with the police department for the betterment of our communities.

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Posted by dmuth (Douglas Muth) on Thu, 2006-09-21 12:35

"Webmaster"

Location: Ardmore, PA

Website: [Link]
Blog: [Link]

So, to sum up your comment, it sounds like maybe Lower Merion could use a community town watch sort of effort?

-- Doug

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Posted by SaveArdmoreCoalition on Thu, 2006-09-21 12:55

This is what "National Night Out" is all about, http://www.nationalnightout.org/ ...civic associations should and could spearhead this effort. It is just about getting people organized in their own communities - National Night Out was formed by someone in Wynnewood, so hopefully more people will take advantage of this local resource

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Posted by karengotlieb (RealityChick) on Thu, 2006-09-21 15:25

Location: The Village

No, I clearly do not think a town watch is the answer. If someone came to me and made an offer to voluntarily run my business it sure would make my life easier. Do I want to see my 65 year old neighbor in her Lexus out looking for crime? She's the lady who doesn't call when she sees bands of kids looking in a vacant home's window. Town Watch programs are PR fluff for police departments. It's free, takes none of their manpower, and gets people off their back for a bit.

I suggest two things. First, neighbors, PLEASE start calling when you see anything suspicious. PLEASE report the missing bike, peeping toms and trespassers. If you don't make some noise, nobody can hear you.

Second, I suggest that LMPD be more proactive in their approach. Specifically, if LM is not already laid out in "zones" or specific geographically identified areas, it should be. Officers should be assigned to those zones and should be restricted to their zone other than in cases of back up for another officer. Officers should be required to actually PATROL the zone. Patrolling a zone means getting off the main drag, driving on the side streets of the neighborhood and looking for potential problems, not waiting for a 911 call and taking a report. No 1-hour parking at Penn Wynne Park, Genuardi's or 7-11 !!

Additionally, our officers rotate shifts every two weeks from days to nights. Before they even have a chance to become familiar with the current activities, etc of an area, they are moved. We need our officers on stable, regular shifts to familiarize themselves with the unique aspects of our neighborhoods.

Do you know the name of the officer who patrols your neighborhood? Could you recognize the officer if you saw them? Me neither. The office who handled our case was wonderful. I want to see more of him!

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Posted by karengotlieb (RealityChick) on Mon, 2006-10-02 17:37

Location: The Village

The last two weeks have been exceptionally difficult. Thankfully, most of our neighbors have been very supportive and not just talking the talking. Unfortunately, a few folks are more concerned about their property values than the value of human life.

That's right!

Commissioner Rogers scheduled a meeting on Thursday, October 5 at 7:30 at the JCC to discuss the recent attack and brainstorm on how we can have a safer neighborhood. Apparently some neighbors have refused to get the word out because they don't want their property values lowered by this reputation.

Shame on you!

As disgusted as I am by the delinquents who committed this act, I'm more disgusted by people who put the value of their home over that of another human being. Perhaps I would have felt the same way they do if it had not been my husband stumbling through the kitchen door covered with blood. I hope they never end up on my side of the equation.

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Posted by SaveArdmoreCoalition on Tue, 2006-10-03 11:59

Do not be disgusted by your neighbors as there is never any way to predict human nature. Everyone has their own fears and issues. Are they perhaps a bit short sighted to not see that if a neighborhood has problems like this and they aren't addressed, that this could snowball and make their fears a reality due to a lack of action? Perhaps, but these people have to learn for themselves one way or the other....

That isn't to say you aren't right when you say they haven't experienced what you and your family has experienced- Yikes ! no one would wish that on anyone.

We would simply encourage anyone in your part of the township who is on the fence about this topic to go and listen to what Commissioner Rogers has to say.

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Posted by SaveArdmoreCoalition on Mon, 2006-10-09 21:17

We hear a couple hundred folks turned out for this town hall meeting. That is great. Hopefully it will do some good.

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Posted by carla on Thu, 2009-05-14 07:58