Thursday, August 24, 2006

How useful are the university's crime alerts?

U of C alerts ceratainly don't give the complete picture. I've come across several serious assaults on university property at http://www.chicagocrime.org/ that not reported in the emails.

For example:
Case no. HM535868, Armed robbery on College/university grounds
at5700 S. Ellis Ave. on Aug. 12, 2006 at 1:30 p.m.. No arrests.

Case no. HM526760. Aggravated battery: P.O.: Hands feet fist. Hospital building/grounds. 900 E. 58th St. No Arrests. Not domestic.

If I'm wrong- let me know.
Chicagocrime.org is an excellent resource where data like this can be viewed.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for keeping me up to date on all that is going on in Hyde Park. I just moved here and am trying to get a feel for the safe and unsafe areas and times to be out. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Again, great job keeping tabs on what's going on. I'm sure you've received the Safety Awareness message about people being mugged while "distracted" by either talking on their cell phones or listening to their iPods.

Well, here's another incident to add to the crime sheet: A male University of Chicago third-year student, 20 yrs. old, was mugged while on his cell phone this past Tuesday afternoon, at the corner of 57th St. and Kimbark Ave. According to his firsthand account (he's a friend of mine, but I'm sure it's all in the police report anyways), three black teenagers approached him and asked for directions to some street address. As he stopped to tell them, one of the teens punched him in his jaw and another stole his cell phone out of his hand and ran off. As there were several passers-by, a witness called police and got a description of the suspects. After only 20 minutes, the UCPD picked up the teens outside of Harper Library on 59th Street, recovering 2 cell phones, one of which was my friend's.

I am not sure what charges were filed or any other muggings these kids may be attributed to.

Perhaps the Safety Awareness listhost should tell people: "Warning: Do not help anyone when walking down the street."

That should keep us safe.