Crime: Going down? Going up?

It all depends: Robberies in the 8th District (French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, CBD) are down a whopping 55% in the first quarter this year compared to 2008--30 this year verses 67 last year.

It will take a little longer for the public's perception to catch up with reality for them to feel safe in their neighborhoods again. Particularly in light of these incidents, nearly a robbery a day:

• Monday (4.20.09), 9:59 p.m.: A white guy--presumably a performance artist (guitar player? balloon sculptor? the police report didn't say)--sitting near Jackson Square at St. Peter and Chartres streets was robbed of the money in his tip jar by 2 scruffy white dudes wearing only blue jeans and no shirts. One insinuated he had a gun and though the artist struggled, the 2 bums made off with his tips, fleeing on foot.

Saturday (4.25.09) 8th District detectives showed a photo line-up to the victim and he positively identified Fred Miller, 41, as one of the guys who robbed him. Miller was booked into OPP on charges of armed robbery and public intimidation; he's being held on $85,000 bond.

• Wednesday (4.22.09), 10:45 p.m.: A white couple (she 26, he 23) were walking near Chartres and Frenchmen streets when they were robbed by 2 armed black thugs, who made off with the woman's purse and the guy's wallet and cellphone. The thieves took off on foot up Frenchmen toward St. Claude Avenue.

The victims lollygagged for 12 hours before reporting the incident to the NOPD, which gave the crooks plenty of time to get away.

The perps were described as 20 to 25 years old, one 5'7" tall, weighing 145 pounds, with a dark complexion and medium-length dreadlocks, wearing a blue and white polo shirt and baggy blue jeans; the other was 5'9" tall, weighing 155 pounds, with a short haircut, wearing a baseball cap with a white bandana underneath and clad in a baggy T-shirt and baggy blue jeans.

• Thursday (4.23.09), 3:02 a.m.: An Asian man, 40, and a black female, 27, were strolling near St. Philip and Royal streets when a black thug, armed with a blue steel revolver, accosted them and demanded their money. The victims gave him everything, including their cash, 2 cellphones, ATM and debit cards, driver's license, purse--and the foreigner's green card.

The robber fled on foot up St. Philip, past McDonough 15 and onto Bourbon Street, past Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. He was only described as having a dark complexion, medium-length dreadlocks, wearing a blue and white jersey and blue jeans. (Hmm. Sounds familiar: see the description from the robbery the night before.)

• Friday (4.24.09), 9:40 a.m.: A 59-year-old white man was getting out of his car parked in a lot at Loyola Avenue and Girod Street in broad daylight when a black guy armed with a pistol came up and demanded his money. The victim complied and the robber fled on foot on S. Rampart Street toward Julia Street.

The thief was described as in his 30's, 5'8" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with a medium complexion and a short haircut, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Saturday (4.25.09), 1 a.m.: A white couple walking in the 800 block of Common Street (between Baronne and Carondelet streets) were accosted by a trio of black thugs, one of whom slugged the man while his buddies grabbed the woman's purse from her shoulder.

The thieves were all described as in their late teens. One was 6'2" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a thin build and a light complexion, wearing a white shirt. The second was 5'7 tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a thin build, short afro and brown complexion, wearing a red shirt. The third was 5'9" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a thin build, brown complexion and shaved head, wearing a lime green shirt.

Teen carjackers nabbed: A pair of teenage black boys were arrested for carjackings over the weekend in the CBD.

• Friday (4.24.09), 9:55 p.m.: A 33-year-old white man returned to his car parked in the 1400 block of Cleveland Avenue (between Marais and S. Liberty streets) and found the rear passenger window busted out. As he was checking the damage, a black punk tapped on the window with a gun and demanded the man get out of his car and give him the keys. The robber told the owner to run and the thief drove off in the car.

• Saturday (4.25.09), 2:51 p.m.: A white woman returning to her car at the same location the day after the previous carjacking was approached by 2 black punks who demanded her car keys. She told them to go to hell and sped off.

Officers who responded to her 911 call apprehended 2 black boys, both 16, and charged them with armed robbery. Because they are juveniles their names can't be released. (Old enough to wield weapons, but too young to have their names in the paper. Anyone remember Wendy Byrne?)

Detectives showed a photo line-up of the 2 boys to the first carjacking victim and he positively identified one of them as the thief who stole his car the night before.

Statistical skeptics: No more had Big Chief Warren Riley released his statistics showing crime--including homicides--was down significantly in the first quarter of this year compared with last year than the skeptics started sniping.

One even conjectured that the reduction in murders--from 43 to 41--might be attributable to "EMT services and emergency room staff doing a better job at saving the lives of people who have been shot."

Others still don't believe the NOPD is fully or accurately reporting the crimes as they happen. Big Chief Riley is responsible for such skepticism.

His failure to set up a uniform system for reporting crimes to the public leaves huge gaps in the information the public receives. Some NOPD districts try to fill the gaps, with varying degree of success. Some pick and choose too carefully the cases they report; others are incredibly vague in their reporting.

It's a simple problem to solve: release the Comstat log reports (like the 8th District used to before Riley put the kibosh on it when he got mad at NOcrimeline). The C-log reports list the date, time and place of the crime, the victims (so you'd know their age, sex and race), a gist of the crime, and description of any suspects. There's absolutely nothing in the reports that would jeopardize an investigation.

And the law says they're supposed to be public information. I guess that makes Riley a criminal for failing to obey the law.

Another way Riley had fudged the crime figures is ordering certain crimes to be reported as "municipal" offenses under the city code rather than "state" offenses under state statutes. The difference is the municipal offenses don't show up in the crime stats; the state crimes do.

We know of at least one case in the 8th District where that occurred (last fall when a teenager attacked an old man on his way to Matassa's Market). No explanation why it was a "municipal" offense and didn't make the crime stats. And if there's one case, who knows how many more there are? So many the skepticism isn't unwarranted.

But you know what? I'm willing to give the NOPD the benefit of the doubt now. It does seem like crime is down--particularly in the French Quarter, and especially in the Lower Quarter.

If any one out there knows of crimes that aren't being reported here, give me the date, time and place. Too often the reports I get from the public are thin on facts and heavy with speculation. I'll do the checking if you take the time to get the rudimentary information.

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

Thom Kahler

Crime returns to Lower Quarter

But to be fair...: There probably have been a few other incidents, but this is the first crime in the Lower French Quarter we can think of since the NOPD began aggressively patrolling there in the wake of the murder of Wendy Byrne in mid-January.

On Sunday (4.19.09) at 2:13 a.m., a white woman standing on the corner of Esplanade Avenue and Decatur Street was robbed by a black punk on a black cruiser-style bicycle who grabbed the victim’s purse from her shoulder. He fled on Esplanade, turning on Royal toward Elysian Fields.

The robber is described as 20 to 25 years old, 5’08” tall, weighing 140 pounds, and wearing a long sleeve black shirt and dark blue jeans.

The Lower Quarter (defined as Dumaine Street to Esplanade) has been virtually crime-free for the past 3 months following Byrne's murder at Dauphine and Gov. Nicholls streets in the early evening of 1.17.09.

The 8th District NOPD almost immediately began patrolling the neighborhood every night with cop cars flashing bright blue lights.

Pleased residents had only one question: What took them so long? They had been asking for the police to employ this strategy for years. Obviously it's an effective tactic.

However, elsewhere: Now the worse crimes seem to be occurring across Canal Street in the CBD or around the tourist honky-tonks of upper Bourbon Street. In one case, 8th District detectives managed to arrest 2 suspects:

• 3:43 a.m. Friday (4.17.09): 2 white men walking in the 1400 block of Canal when 3 black thugs accosted them. One struck one of the victims, knocking him to the ground. Another put his hand inside his shirt, implying he had a gun, and told the victims to empty their pockets. The victims complied and the 3 perps fled on foot toward Claiborne Avenue.

Within 24 hours, detectives booked Brandon Roussell (right), 18, and Tyrell Eli (left), 20, into Central Lockup on 2 counts of armed robbery each and bond was set at $100,000 a piece. The third suspect is still at large.

• 9:10 p.m. Friday (4.17.09): 2 white women, both 25, walking in the 300 block of Notre Dame Street (between Commerce and Tchoupitoulas streets) when they were accosted by a black dude with a pistol wrapped in a blue handkerchief. He demanded their purses. They complied and he fled on foot to Commerce, turning left toward Canal Street.

The robber was described as 25 to 29 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 150 to 160 pounds, with long dreadlocks, and wearing a dark T-shirt and light-colored blue jeans.

With friends like these: Several victims, who seemed to know their assailants, were taken to the hospital after altercations with their "acquaintances":

• 1:30 a.m. Friday (4.17.09): A white man, whose age wasn't reported, got into an argument with another patron at the Roundup bar, 819 St. Louis St. The other guy grabbed the victim's cane and struck him and fled from the bar on foot.

The suspect was only described as a white male clad in a denim skirt (yes, skirt) and a tank top. Boys will be boys, and sometimes girls too.

• 8:45 p.m. Friday (4.17.09): Change its name all you want, but the old Utopia Night Club (now known as Bourbon Rocks), 227 Bourbon St., was again the scene of a scuffle like the old Utopia was notorious for.

On Friday (4.17.09) at 8:45 p.m. a 52-year-old man got into a dispute with a 51-year-old patron's girlfriend. The woman's boyfriend ended the argument by allegedly cutting the older man on the neck with a broken beer bottle. The victim was taken to University Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds and was in stable condition.

Bouncers in the club subdued the alleged assailant and police arrested Randy Allard (pictured) and charged him with aggravated battery.

Judge Frank Marullo Jr. set Allard free so fast on his own recognizance with a phone call to the jail, the court couldn't even say how much his bond was. It's nice to have friends in high places.

Not the place to be: The old Days Inn at 1630 Canal St. (on the corner of S. Claiborne Avenue), now the Canal Street Hotel, saw its share (or more than its share) of excitement on Sunday (4.19.09).

• 1:03 a.m.: A 20-year-old black guy was standing outside the hotel with a buddy when a dark-colored Ford Expedition pulled up and 2 black dudes opened fire with handguns, shooting the victim in the right hand, abdomen and thigh.

One perp was described as 20 to 22 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a light complexion and chin-length dreadlocks. wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

The other perp was 23 to 25 years old, 6'1" tall, with an athletic build and chin-length dreadlocks, wearing an orange T-shirt and blue jeans.

• 5 p.m.: An 18-year-old black chick was sitting in Room 340 of the hotel when a 14-year-old Baton Rouge girl she knew came in. They got into an argument and the juvenile girl pulled out a knife (some reports say a box cutter, others a Swiss Army knife) and allegedly stabbed the older teenager in the top of her head on on her right forearm.

The young assailant fled on foot but police eventually caught up with her. They arrested Brittany Smith, 14, for aggravated battery and turned her over to juvenile authorities.

Here come the judge: You might have noticed that we've linked all the judges and magistrate court commissioners (who set bonds) to their email addresses on NOcrimeline.com. If you have comments for any of them about these or other cases, let them know what you think. They work for you!

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

Thom Kahler

Crime or no crime?

For art's sake: Rumors have been flying for nearly a week about an artist who was "beaten" in Jackson Square last Friday (4.10.09) morning while he was setting up his exhibit. The incident has been on the TV news several times and other artists have been squawking like magpies about how the NOPD is not taking the "crime" seriously.

Here's what we know so far:

• Gang Hu, known as "Kenny" to the other artists on the Square, was found lying on the ground around 4:30 a.m. that Friday. Another artist who spotted him laying there thought he was passed out drunk--then remembered Kenny didn't drink. Upon investigating, he found Kenny lying in a pool of blood and called 911. The dispatcher logged it as a "medical" call and EMTs were sent.

• 8th District NOPD officers arriving a couple of minutes after the EMTs found Kenny had suffered a single blow to the side of his head and determined neither his money or other valuables were taken.

• Kenny suffered a severe brain injury and has been in a medically induced coma at the hospital. Lt. Eddie Selby, head of the 8th District detectives, has been at the hospital every morning to see if Kenny has emerged from the coma so he can be interviewed to try to determine what happened.

• At this point, there is no evidence it was an assault. The doctor treating Kenny said he sees no evidence the victim suffered an attack. There is speculation that Kenny might have fallen off the stone ledge beneath the wrought iron fence while hanging his artwork.

The artists need to employ their creativity on their masterpieces and give the cops a chance to do what they do best: Figure out what happened after they've gathered the facts.

Ho, ho, ho: A trio of 17-year-old vixens turned their first trick in the French Quarter on Easter night (4.12.09)--though it involved pepper spray rather than sex.

The 3 girls, all black, approached a white man of unreported age who was walking in the 700 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Royal streets) about 11:30 p.m. As they closed in, one of the girls pulled out a can of pepper spray and allegedly sprayed the victim. Another girl attempted to take the victim's wallet from his pants pocket while he struggled with the noxious fumes.

He resisted long enough for cops to arrive on the scene and arrest for attempted simple robbery:

• Keera Alexander (top), $10,000 bond, sitting in OPP

• Jenee Pedesclaux (middle), $25,000 bond, sent home with an ankle bracelet by Magistrate Harry Cantrell;

• Tomalesha Smith (bottom), $25,000 bond, sitting in OPP

It does raise the question of why officers in the Bourbon Promenade (assigned to stroll this adult playground) didn't notice these "children" out in violation of curfew.

Jackson jive: 8th District detectives arrested Jamal Jackson, 25 (DOB 4.12.84), and charged him with an armed robbery in the Quarter on 2.28.09. He's not to be confused with 5 other Jamal Jacksons who have records in Orleans Parish and all of whom were born in the 1980's--particularly the Jamal Jackson who was arrested Wednesday (4.15.09) and charged with a drive-by shooting death.

The 4.12.84 Jackson is enough trouble as it is. He's charged with 3 armed robberies, domestic battery, and a couple of probation violations. He was charged in the robbery of 2 young black men in their early 20s who were walking in the the 1000 block of St. Louis Street around 3:45 a.m.

Jackson is being held in OPP on $475,000 bond. An alleged accomplice is still on the loose.

Bourbon bash: Just because it was Easter weekend doesn't mean it was any less tame in the touristy stretch of Bourbon Street:

• 10:45 p.m. Saturday (4.11.09): 2 black guys got into an argument at Bourbon and St. Louis Street when one of them pulled what was believed to be a box cutter and slashed the other guy across the back of the neck and on his inner wrist. The assailant fled on foot toward Canal Street and the 31-year-old victim was hauled to the hospital by ambulance for treatment.

Two days later, detectives showed a photo line-up to the victim and he positively identified his assailant. Police arrested Raynell Walsh, 33, and charged him with aggravated battery. He is in OPP in lieu of $25,000 bail.

• 2:35 a.m. Saturday (4.11.09): A white guy inside a club in the 400 block of Bourbon (Jazz Emporium? Beerfest? Wouldn't it be nice if the police report didn't paint all the clubs in a given block with such a broad brush?) was asked to step outside with a black dude who offered to sell him drugs. The white guy declined the offer and started to re-enter the club when another black dude came up and struck him, knocking him to the ground and then taking his wallet.

Both perps fled on foot toward Canal. Both were described as 20 to 25 years old and 5'11" tall. One had a thin build and weighed 170 pounds, and was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jean shorts; the other had a muscular build, short corn rows, and was wearing a gray muscle shirt and blue jean shorts.

...and the CBD too: A black in the 300 block of Tchoupitoulas Street (between Gravier and Natchez streets, about a block from Harrah's Casino) was accosted by another black guy had his hand in his shirt, like he had a weapon. He said he had a gun and demanded the victim's wallet. The perp then hopped into an older model maroon Nissan driven by a black chick and fled.

He was described as in his 20's, 5'9" tall, 145 pounds, with a goatee and shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a black T-shirt and dark jean shorts.

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

Thom Kahler

Just when you think it's safe...

Ex-con gunned down: Murders in the Central Business District are rare, but this morning (4.9.09) around 7 a.m., a 30-year-old felon who loved his weed (based on his numerous arrests for possession of marijuana over the years) was shot by someone who apparently knew him.

The victim of the shooting at S. Rampart and Gravier streets was identified by family members as Torey Coleman (pictured).

The NOPD seems to have a good witness with knowledge of the incident, based on what Asst. Chief Marlon Defillo has revealed to the press.

According to Defillo, detectives believe he walked around the French Quarter all night before being summoned to cross Canal Street to the corner when Common Street Bar & Restaurant is. He said Coleman, dressed in a red T-shirt and St. Louis Cardinals ball cap and accompanied by a woman who was not identified, hung around the corner for a while before meeting up with a man Defillo described as "brown-skinned" (we're going to go with "black", just as Coleman was) and dressed in a burgundy-colored jacket, blue jeans and black-and-white tennis shoes.

Their discussion did not go well and Defillo said the man, pulled a pistol of undetermined calibre and fired a single bullet into the back of Coleman's head. The shooter fled on foot and 911 was called at 7:11 a.m. Coleman was dead when paramedics arrived on the scene. The victim and assailant knew each other, Defillo said, and that it was not a random shooting: Coleman was the intended target.

Coleman had just appeared in court on Monday (4.6.09) for a hearing after he was arrested for skipping bail on a pending drug charge.

Then there are the armed robberies: What crime there had been in the last week or so, seemed among the crazy or the related. Then 2 armed robberies in 2 days formed a pattern that's disturbing:

• Yesterday morning (4.8.09), a white woman walking in the 800 block of Chartres Street (between St. Ann and Dumaine streets) at 5:55 a.m. was approached from behind by a black thug with a knife who grabbed her purse off her shoulder.

He fled on foot toward Esplanade Avenue. He was described as 33 to 39 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds, medium complexion, wearing a brown hoodie and blue jeans.

• This morning (4.9.09) a white woman walking in the 700 block of Bienville Street (between Royal and Bourbon streets) was similarly approached by a black man armed with a Swiss Army knife with a 2" to 3" blade who demanded her money.

The suspect is described as 25 to 35 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 200 lbs., bald, medium complexion with black moles on his cheeks, wearing a bright orange and white polo shirt, hunter green work pants and white tennis shoes.

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

Thom Kahler

Escaped killer caught...finally

On the loose for almost 2 months: Cops finally caught up with Shateek Howard, the teenage murder suspect who's been outfoxing them at every turn.

According to the police report, officers on "routine" patrol came across Howard and his partner-in-crime, Antoine Henry, yesterday (4.1.09) around 5:30 p.m. in the Iberville Housing Project, in the shadow of the French Quarter.

"Routine" patrol? You mean a suspected escaped murdered doesn't merit a full-scale dragnet?"

Howard, 16, is suspected in the shooting death of a 19-year-old black girl Uptown on 9.21.08 and the wounding of her boyfriend. Henry, 19, is suspected in a shooting the day before (9.20.08) in Mid-city.

Sounds like real buddies: "Hey, you got to shoot somebody yesterday--today it's my turn!"

Howard was booked into the juvenile detention center last night on one charge of murder and one of attempted murder, plus a separate charge of armed robbery.

He's back in the care of the same folks whose carelessness on Feb. 11 resulted in Howard escaping while they escorted him from Juvenile Court on Loyola Avenue. He bolted right for the Iberville Projects--happy hunting ground for bad guys--and eluded the NOPD time and again.

He's just lucky his victim was not a white or he'd be in big-people's prison like the kids who supposedly killed the white woman bartender in the Quarter.

Henry was booked into Central Lockup just before midnight last night on 2 counts of aggravated battery (apparently from the shooting he's accused of) and 3 counts of armed robbery (from another incident), plus a charge of possessing crack cocaine and another of resisting arrest for a fight after he was apprehended.

Police reportedly took a stolen semi-automatic pistol off of him when he was arrested and said they will also charge him as being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty in 2007 when he was 17 to carrying a concealed weapon.

Why in the world was this scumbag running loose? He certainly wasn't a good influence on Shateek Howard.

Another CBD robbery: A black couple walking in the 400 block of Gravier Street, near Harrah's Casino, were held up early this morning (4.2.09) around 3 a.m.

A black guy got out of the passenger's side of a parked car and flashed a silver-colored object in his waistband that looked like a gun, demanding their money. They complied and the man fled in the car, which went down Gravier and turned on to Tchoupitoulas Street toward Poydras Street.

The car was described as a brown or beige 2-door late 80's model Buick. The robber was described as 5'9" tall, weighing 130 pounds, with a dark complexion, moustache and shoulder-length braids, wearing a long white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Pursesnatchers nabbed: Two episodes of pursesnatchings at the exact same time (8:40 p.m.) in different parts of the 8th District last night (4.1.09) resulted in arrests:

• 700 block of Royal Street (behind St. Louis Cathedral): A white woman was walking along when she was approached by a black dude who panhandled her for money. When she refused, he tried to grab her purse from her shoulder, but she fought back, giving a security guard (from where? Rouse's Market at St. Peter Street?) time to intervene. Officers arrived on the scene and arrested Jarred Simmons, 17, charging him with attempted simple robbery.

• 100 block of S. Peters Street (near Harrah's Casino): A white woman walking along the street was accosted by a black man who grabbed her purse from her shoulder. He was grabbed by a witness as he tried to flee and was held until officers arrived. They arrested Purnell Madison, 61, and charged him with pursesnatching.
  

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

Thom Kahler

A very bad man, indeed

Maybe they can put him away for good: If the District Attorney does his job right this time, Corey J. Jordan may finally go away for good. 8th District detectives arrested him last Thursday (3.26.09) for what to him must seem like a petty crime.

The police say Jordan is the black dude who put a stop to a cat fight among 3 girls believed to be hookers on a Sunday morning (3.22.09) around 5 a.m. at Bourbon and Conti streets. In that fracas, 2 white women got into it with a black chick they had exchanged words with earlier in the evening, and the black woman began to fight with one of the white chicks.

A black guy--thought to be Jordan--came up and conked the white chick in the head with his pistol, then pointed it at the other whitey. The fighting stopped and Jordan allegedly picked up the white woman's purse from the ground and fled with the black chick in a tan SUV.

The 2 white female victims waited several hours before notifying the police about the incident, but apparently they knew who had done them wrong: Jordan.

Detective Sean McElrath charged Jordan with armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery. He is in OPP on $185,000 bond. What? No charge for felon in possession of a firearm? Turn him over to the feds on that one and he'll get 10 solid years, for sure.

Jordan, 35, has been in trouble with the law since he was 18 (and betcha a dollar to a doughnut, he had a juvy record before that). In 1995, he pled guilty to 2 counts of armed robbery and he was sentenced to 5 years in prison "without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence."

Considering those terms, it's hard to figure out how he was out in less than 3 years in 1998 when he was charged with 3 counts of attempted murder. Never mind though, former DA Harry Connick couldn't get it together in time to prosecute him on the charges and Jordan walked on a "701" release--for attempted murder, no less!

Then when Jordan got busted in 2007 for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, he was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of possession of cocaine. The judge gave him a 3-year suspended sentence and tried to "rehabilitate" him by sending him to drug court. Now he's got a charge of parole violation against him too for this latest episode he was allegedly involved in.

Let's hope the new DA, Leon Cannizzaro, goes after him as a multiple offender--and puts him away for life. It's scary to think that kind of guy has been running around the French Quarter all these years. Suppose that's the allure to all the tourists who flock here?

Robbings and beatings, oh my: Thanks to the flashing blue lights in the Lower French Quarter, residents there have been spared the turmoil riling the tourist playground in the Upper Quarter:

• Armed robbery, 3.26.09: A black man walking on Common Street near Carondelet Street around 10:30 p.m. when 2 black dudes and a black chick accosted him, with one of the black guys pulling a gun and demanding his money. He complied, and they fled in a teal-colored, 4-door, Jeep-style vehicle toward Baronne Street.

The victim described the robbers as one man being 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds, with short hair, a dark complexion and clean shaven, wearing a red hat, a black shirt and black shorts; the other man was 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, with short dreadlocks, a medium complexion, and wearing a royal blue hoodie and a light blue shirt; the woman was described as 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds, with short black hair and a dark complexion, wearing a pink shirt with white lettering and pink capri pants.

• Armed robbery, 3.28.09: A 20-year-old white man walking in the 400 block of Bourbon Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) around 3:30 a.m. was held up by a big black guy wielding a knife. The victim handed over his loot and the robber fled on foot toward Canal Street. For whatever reason (under-age drinking, maybe?), the victim waited several hours before reporting the robbery to the police.

He described the robber as 6'1" tall, weighing 190 pounds, wearing a dark T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Aggravated battery, 3.31.09: A couple of white guys got into it in Jackson Square last night around 7:20 p.m. near St. Peter and Chartres streets. The argument got heated and one man allegedly beat the other on the head with his walking cane, knocking him to the ground and sending him to the hospital.

8th District officers arrested Kermit Ramagos, 45, and charged him with aggravated battery.

Beware, the men of steel: Well, okay, iron, and maybe women too. To accommodate the ironman triathlon this Sunday (4.5.09), Esplanade Avenue to Decatur Street and Decatur to Jackson Square will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic during the foot race portion of the event.

The closing will run from approximately 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vehicles will be allowed to cross the race route when safe to do so, but will not be allowed to turn onto the route.

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

Thom Kahler

Crimes reported: March 2009

This is a list of the crimes reported during March, 2009 in the 8th District (French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, CBD) as listed on the NOPD's crime map, which gives the dates, locations, and the time the crimes occurred.

Armed robbery
3.03.09, 1:24 a.m., 1000 Kerlerec St., knife
3.10.09, 10:40 p.m., 900 Bourbon St., gun
3.13.09, 11:10 p.m., 1000 Dumaine St., gun
3.21.09, 12:15 a.m., 1000 N. Peters St., gun
3.22.09, 4:45 a.m., Dumaine St. & Dauphine St., carjacking
3.22.09, 5:30 a.m., Conti St. & Bourbon St., gun
3.28.09, 3:30 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., knife

Simple robbery
3.02.09, 11:50 a.m., 700 Union St., pursesnatching
3.08.09, 11:20 p.m., 2100 St. Claude Ave.
3.14.09, 11:28 p.m., 1000 Toulouse St., attempted pursesnatching

Assault & battery
3.15.09, 1:10 a.m., 300 Bourbon St., aggravated battery
3.17.09, 9:24 p.m., 600 Iberville St., aggravated assault
3.23.09, 8:55 p.m., 200 Decatur St., aggravated battery

Burglary
3.01.09, 12:30 p.m., 1600 Canal St.
3.05.09, 10:00 p.m., 1100 Bourbon St., business
3.06.09, 3:56 p.m., 800 Orleans Ave., residence
3.06.09, 3:00 p.m., 900 Toulouse St., residence
3.12.09, 10:54 a.m., 500 St. Philip St., residence
3.16.09, 3:15 a.m., 1400 Tulane Ave., business
3.17.09, 3:00 a.m., 600 Chartres St., business
3.21.09, 11:55 p.m., 600 Poydras St., business
3.30.09, 7:20 a.m., 1000 Magazine St.

Theft
3.02.09, 5:00 p.m., 200 St. Charles Ave.
3.03.09, 9:15 a.m., 1000 Loyola Ave.
3.03.09, 9:30 p.m., 800 Canal St.
3.05.09, 12:05 p.m., 300 Canal St., shoplifting
3.05.09, 3:10 p.m., 1600 Canal St., bicycle
3.06.09, 6:30 p.m., 300 Julia St., bicycle
3.06.09, 8:00 p.m., 800 Bourbon St.
3.07.09, 1:10 a.m., 100 Conti St.
3.07.09, 3:53 a.m., 700 Burgundy St., pickpocketing
3.09.09, 10:45 a.m., 400 Royal St., shoplifting
3.10.09, 5:00 a.m., 300 Poydras St.
3.10.09, 5:00 p.m., 300 St. Joseph St.
3.11.09, 5:30 a.m., Dauphine St. & Conti St., pickpocketing
3.11.09, 11:10 a.m., 400 Royal St., shoplifting
3.11.09, 1:21 a.m., 500 Frenchmen St.
3.11.09, 1:10 a.m., 600 Frenchmen St.
3.11.09, 10:00 p.m., 900 Canal St., bicycle
3.13.09, 8:55 a.m., Dauphine St. & St. Peter St.
3.13.09, 12:30 p.m., 300 Julia St.
3.15.09, 3:10 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
3.15.09, 3:41 a.m., 200 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
3.15.09, 2:20 p.m., 700 Gov. Nicholls St.
3.16.09, 6:33 p.m., 900 N. Peters St.
3.17.09, 2:15 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
3.17.09, 2:00 p.m., Royal St. & Frenchmen St.
3.17.09, 7:15 p.m., 900 Decatur St., shoplifting
3.18.09, 4:45 p.m., 300 Canal St., shoplifting
3.18.09, 5:35 p.m., 900 Decatur St., shoplifting
3.19.09, 3:45 a.m., 800 Iberville St., pickpocketing
3.19.09, 9:45 p.m., 500 Tchoupitoulas St.
3.21.09, 10:10 a.m., 1100 Decatur St.
3.21.09, 6:15 p.m., 300 Canal St., shoplifting
3.21.09, 2:00 p.m., O'Keefe Ave. & Union St.
3.21.09, 10:45 a.m., 1000 Canal St.
3.22.09, 4:10 a.m., 100 Carondelet St.
3.23.09, 10:40 a.m., 1900 Dauphine St.
3.23.09, 12:30 p.m., 900 Decatur St.
3.23.09, 3:30 p.m., 300 Royal St.
3.23.09, 8:33 p.m., 700 Orleans St.
3.24.09, 12:40 a.m., 900 Poydras St., shoplifting
3.24.09, 7:20 a.m., 100 N. Rampart St.
3.24.09, 9:39 a.m., 100 Royal St., shoplifting
3.24.09, 1:40 p.m., 500 Chartres St., shoplifting
3.24.09, 9:07 p.m., 400 Bourbon St.
3.26.09, 12:10 p.m., 900 Canal St., shoplifting
3.26.09, 3:00 p.m., 200 Loyola Ave.
3.27.09, 3:15 p.m., 100 University Pl.
3.27.09, 9:42 p.m., Toulouse St. & Chartres St.
3.28.09, 3:25 a.m., Canal St.

Auto theft
3.01.09, 5:30 p.m., St. Ann St. & Bourbon St.
3.01.09, 10:00 p.m., 200 Burgundy St.
3.03.09, 5:30 p.m., 800 Constance St.
3.05.09, 12:30 a.m., St. Joseph St. & Constance St.
3.05.09, 11:00 p.m., Iberville St. & Dorsiere St.
3.06.09, 9:00 p.m., Poydras St. & Tchoupitoulas St.
3.06.09, 7:30 p.m., 700 S. Rampart St.
3.09.09, 12:50 p.m., 200 Loyola Ave.
3.10.09, 8:30 p.m., 400 Gravier St.
3.10.09, 10:00 p.m., Chartres St. & Bienville St.
3.12.09, 3:00 a.m., St. Charles Ave. & Gravier St.
3.12.09, 8:00 p.m., S. Rampart St. & Poydras St.
3.13.09, 10:30 p.m., Dauphine St. & Iberville St.
3.14.09, 8:00 p.m., Poydras St. & S. Rampart St.
3.14.09, 11:15 p.m., 100 N. Rampart St.
3.15.09, 11:00 p.m., 300 Lafayette St.
3.15.09, 10:00 a.m., 500 Iberville St.
3.20.09, 1:00 p.m., Magazine St. & St. Joseph St.
3.20.09, 12:45 p.m., St. Joseph St. & Magazine St.
3.21.09, 4:00 a.m., Dumaine St. & Bourbon St.
3.22.09, 4:45 a.m., 1000 Bienville St.
3.22.09, 8:30 p.m., Chartres St. & Wilkinson St.
3.22.09, 8:30 p.m., Chartres St. & Wilkinson St.
3.22.09, 10:00 p.m., Burgundy St. & Toulouse St.
3.25.09, 9:45 a.m., Chartres St. & Iberville St.
3.28.09, 2:30 a.m., Burgundy St. & Iberville St.
3.30.09, 1:00 p.m., Loyola Ave. & Julia St.

Car break-in
3.01.09, 7:00 a.m., 1000 Loyola Ave.
3.01.09, 7:00 a.m., 1000 Loyola Ave.
3.02.09, 1:00 a.m., Iberville St. & Burgundy St.
3.03.09, 3:00 a.m., 700 Barracks St.
3.04.09, 2:00 a.m., 900 Gov. Nicholls St.
3.07.09, 3:45 a.m., 300 St. Joseph St.
3.09.09, 2:45 a.m., Burgundy St. & Iberville St.
3.11.09, 3:45 a.m., Decatur St. & Ursulines Ave.
3.13.09, 1:15 a.m., 200 Burgundy St., exterior
3.17.09, 1:00 p.m., St. Louis St. & Decatur St.
3.19.09, 1:10 a.m., 600 Conti St., attempted
3.26.09, 11:45 p.m., 1600 Canal St.
3.27.09, 1:30 a.m., Iberville St. & Burgundy St.
3.27.09, 9:00 a.m., 1300 Canal St.
3.29.09, 12:30 a.m., 1600 Canal St., exterior
3.30.09, 11:45 a.m., 1000 Bienville St.