Seriously I can't make this stuff up:
Main Line Life: Bank Robbery Photos
Posted on Tue, Aug 19, 2008
Gladwyne bank robbed
By Pete Bannan
The PNC bank in Gladwyne was robbed at gunpoint early Tuesday afternoon. Three men dressed as construction workers walked into the bank and demanded money around 12:30. One suspect was carrying a shotgun and one a pistol according to police on location. The suspects escaped out the back door with an undisclosed sum of money. No one was injuried in the robbery. Police canvassed residents in the village and cars along Youngsford Road and Righters Mill Rd. asking if anyone had seen anything. Police said the escape vehicle was not seen.
And then this article should be filed under "What I did on my Summer Vacation"
Posted: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 1:55PM
Teen Charged in Lower Merion Burglaries
by KYW's Brad Segall
A teenager has been charged with nearly a dozen burglaries in upscale neighborhoods in Lower Merion and police say he made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry.
Police say the break-ins started in mid-June -- at least 18 in Wynnewood, Penn Valley and Gladwyne. Police got a break this weekend when they saw 19-year-old Brett Bankoff loitering around some properties on Fairview Road. District Attorney Risa Ferman says the Penn Valley man was arrested and charged with 10 of the burglaries:
"The would break in quickly, steal jewelry and escape. He was able to make off with a significant amount of jewelry. Estimates are well over $200,000 in terms of all of the jewelry stolen.”
Police believe he was pawning the jewelry at Golden Jewelers in the 2200 block of Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Technorati
I don't remember reading about 18 break-ins in Lower Merion in June in our local papers, but that's no surprise. Perhaps if the Lower Merion police had released these public records and our local papers had reported it as it occurred residents could have been a little more vigilant early on. I do remember some blurb in MLL after all the break-ins occurred by the police telling residents to lock-up. Gee, thanks.
I want to make a point here that has long been a discussion in poker games I am in - that being how well the police (any police department) can actually "protect" you.
The fact is that criminals make a point of committing crimes when the police are not nearby. This means that if you run across a burglar in your home, or have a home invasion, or are carjacked, assaulted, and otherwise robbed (and God forbid raped or murdered) the police won't be there.
I think nationwide that over 99% of violent crimes occur with the police arriving after the crime has occurred, and after the criminal has left the scene in the vast majority of cases.
The police provide a job as a general deterent and by tracking down criminals after they have victimized people. This is just the nature of the beast. The U.S Supreme Court has ruled that the police have no legal obligation to protect citizens from crime or to prevent crime.
That is not to say that police departments do not do the best thay can, and I'd say in Lower Merion the police are very good at noticing suspicious activity and they are great at cutting off escape routes from Lower Merion when a victim calls them about a crime that was just committed.
If you are targeted by a criminal it is almost guaranteed (and I'm speaking for everywhere in this country, if not the world) that the police will not be there to protect you while the crime is in progress.
Just some food for thought. It makes for a very strong case for personal responsibilty for protecting yourself from being a vicitim of crime.
The Lower Merion Police will come out to your house and do a good job telling you how to best prevent yourself some from bing a victim of crime in your home and elsewhere, which is great.
It is up to individuals in regards to how much further they want to take responsibility for their personal protection beyond what the police can offer.
- Login or register to post comments
permalink