More of the same, unfortunately

Armed robberies: No matter what time of day--wee-hour morning, mid-morning, early evening, late night--you can become a victim of a robbery. Here are cases in point:

• 11:10 a.m. Friday (11.14.08): A black man was in the parking lot in the 100 block of S. Rampart Street (just off Canal Street) when he was approached by another black guy who asked for change for a $5 bill. Then the guy pulled a pistol and demanded the man's money. The victim refused and struggled with the robber, who struck him in the head and fled toward Common Street. No word whether he got change from the victim.

The perpetrator was described as in his 30's, 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, short hair, dark complexion, wearing a long black T-shirt and blue jeans.

• 3:40 a.m. Sunday (11.16.08): 2 white men, one 26 and the other 22, along with a 23-year-old white woman, were near the corner of Wilkinson and Chartres streets when 3 black men came up behind them, one of them brandishing a pistol and demanding the trio's money. The victims turned over their cash and iPods, and the robbers fled in a black Chevrolet Impala down Chartres.

All 3 robbers were described as 5'10" tall, thin build, wearing dark clothing. That should make it real easy to pick them out of a crowd.

• 8 p.m. Tuesday (11.18.08): A 63-year-old white man parking his car in the lot at Doerr Furniture, 914 Elysian Fields Ave. (between N. Rampart and Burgundy streets), was approached by 2 black dudes, one of whom pulled out a handgun and demanded the victim's money. The victim gave it up and the robbers fled on foot down Burgundy toward Frenchmen Street.

The robbers were both described as 17 to 23 years old, both medium build, one 5'6" tall wearing a white hoodie, and the other an unspecified height wearing a gray hoodie.

In the wee hours: The not-so-"simple robberies" where victims often get hurt:

• 2:35 a.m. Sunday (11.16.08): A white fellow was standing near the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann streets when he was approached by a 21-year-old boy who began talking to him. Suddenly the boy, said the police, grabbed cash from the victim's front pocket and fled on foot down St. Ann.

8th District cops quickly apprehended Jules Wise, 21, 5'7" tall and weighing 145 pounds, and charged him with simple robbery, along with municipal charges of prostitution and criminal trespass, plus an outstanding traffic warrant from Jefferson Parish. Some days it just doesn't pay to hit the streets.

• Midnight Monday (11.17.08): A white man was getting into his car in the 200 block of Burgundy Street (if you're from around here, you know better than to park on that street, particularly between Iberville and Bienville streets) when a black guy came up, panhandling change. Suddenly, the victim was struck from behind, apparently knocking him out. The next thing he remembered was passers-by asking him if he was alright. Then he realized his wallet and his car, a 2001 black Ford Mustang, were gone.

The panhandler was described as 35 years old, 5'8" tall, medium build, with a small afro, and wearing a blue hoodie. It would be nice if the cops would give you a license plate number on the car--who knows, a citizen might spot it?

BOLO (Be On the LOOK Out): 8th District detectives have issued an arrest warrant for a black woman named Chiquita Blaise (that would be a great name for a stripper), 23, 5'6" tall and weighing 195 pounds (that's not a great shape for a stripper) who is one of 2 women wanted for attempting to rob a white woman last Thursday (11.13.08) around 9:30 p.m. in the 200 block of N. Rampart Street.

Blaise and her accomplice, another black woman, allegedly both struck the victim while trying to get her purse. The victim fought back and the would-be robbers fled empty-handed. The victim, however, did positively identify Blaise in a photo line-up as one of her attackers.

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

Thom Kahler