A little of what's going on

Better to be pissed off than pissed on: A resident of the 1000 block of Barracks Street (between Burgundy and N. Rampart streets) nearly became the victim of an armed robbery early yesterday morning (8.17.08) when he chastised a black teenager for urinating in the street.

The victim (a white male for whom the 8th District refused to provide an age) was returning home about 12:40 a.m. when he noticed 2 black dudes standing between 2 cars near his home. He told the black guy not to pee in the street and an argument broke out. One of the young hoodlums pulled out a pistol and demanded the victim's money. When the victim refused to give it up, the punks fled on their bicycles.

A short time later, Ofc. Charles Stamps, of the 8th District's Taskforce, apprehended the 2 at Conti and Bourbon streets. Arrested were: Willie Sorden, 18, (left) and Keith Perkins, 17, (right). Both were charged with attempted armed robbery and illegally carrying a weapon. Each is being held on $60,000 bond in OPP.

Wait, there's more: The above incident was the ONLY crime reported by the 8th District for the past week. I don't know why the 8th District is trying so hard to cover up what's happening in the French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, and CBD--except maybe it's so bad they're terribly embarrassed. But from a couple of reliable sources we've learned of these incidents:

• From a reliable source who has previously supplied us with accurate information: A friend of hers was robbed yesterday morning (8.17.08) between 1 and 1:30 a.m. at Royal and St. Peter streets while walking to his car after getting off work. She had no more information than that, but, of course, the 8th District had none.

• From an anonymous source, believed to be a NOPD officer: A black man was caught stealing a woman's purse Saturday evening at the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant near Harrah's Casino during the Saints' game. He was subdued by the patrons and bartenders until the police arrived.

Supposedly the same miscreant was caught 2 hours earlier stealing a woman's camera in Spanish Plaza, but the victim didn't press charges because she got her camera back. So the thief was let loose to strike again--within only a matter of hours.

Crackhouse can't be ignored: After we reported last week that neighbors in the Lower Quarter were distressed that Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, was ignoring a crackhouse at the corner of Gov. Nicholls and Bourbon streets, Deputy Chief Kirk Bouyelas, the chief of operations and Hosli's boss, stepped in.

Alerted to the problem by NOcrimeline, he wrote back: "I will make sure that Maj. Hosli is aware of the situation and your concerns," and added, "I am confident that together we can address this situation successfully."

Now that the top brass in the NOPD has been alerted, let's see what happens.

More on "Open Carry": Our report on an anonymous group advocating armed citizen patrols of the French Quarter stirred some interest. If you want more information on the legality of openly carrying firearms in Louisiana, go to this website sponsored by OpenCarry.org. It attempts to clarify the issue.

A citizen resident of the Marigny Triangle who claims to already "open carry" elaborated further in a NOLA.com forum. He says he goes out, usually between 2 and 4 a.m., patrolling his neighborhood beginning at N. Rampart Street and St. Bernard Avenue, walking toward Elysian Fields Avenue, and going down some of the side streets.

"I carry a Mossburg 500 Persuader (pistol grip) and a 12-gauge slung on my back as well," he writes. He claims in the year and a half he's been doing this, he's "stopped 2 rapes, 3 armed robberies, 2 car jackings, 2 home burgleries."

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler