Too soon to tell

Who knows?: Some are saying that those vanquished in their attempt to pass a "security district" tax at the polls Saturday are already blaming the defeat for recent crimes in and around the French Quarter. It's hard to know what the proposed rent-a-cops could have done, but here's what the real 8th District cops had to deal with:

• Sunday (10.3.10) 10:20 p.m.: Two white guys in their early 20's walking in the 600 block of St. Philip Street (between Chartres and Royal streets) were robbed by 2 black thugs who pulled pistols and demanded the victims' cash. The victims gave it up and the robbers fled on foot, turning on Chartres toward Esplanade Avenue.

One robber was described as 25 years old, 6' tall, weighing 165 pounds, with a dark complexion and short hair, wearing a black Saints jersey (number?) and dark pants; no age was guessed for the second robber, 5'8" tall, weighing 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and braids pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and gray shorts.

• Sunday (10.3.10) 9:00 p.m.: A white couple, no age given, walking in the 400 block of Julia Street (near Constance Street) were held up at gunpoint by a black guy whose buddy stood watch. The robbers fled on foot up Constance toward Calliope Street.

The gunman was described as in his early 20's, 5'11" tall, with a medium complexion and short hair, wearing a yellow polo shirt and blue jeans.

• Saturday (10.2.10) 4:47 a.m.: Two 20-year-old white guys walking in the 400 block of Decatur Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) were robbed when a tan Toyota Camry pulled up next to them and 2 big black dudes got out and pulled a gun on them, demanding their money. The robbers then sped off in the car toward Canal Street.

One of the thugs was described as 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a light complexion and short hair; the other was 6' tall, weighing 200 pounds, with a dark complexion and dreadlocks; the driver was a black guy wearing a white T-shirt.

• Saturday (10.2.10) 4:30 a.m.: A few minutes earlier a similar thing happened to a 21-year-old white kid--he thinks. He's not sure where he was in the French Quarter, but thinks it was on Bourbon Street (the crime map shows it as "334 Royal St.", location of the 8th District station house--the location the cops use when a victim doesn't know where he became a victim). He said a car pulled up next to him and a black guy got out and pointed a pistol at him, then took all his money. The victim didn't report the crime until 1:45 p.m. for Bourbon Street-induced reasons.

He did say the robber was 6'2" tall and weighed 170 pounds.

Grab-and-go robberies: Hang on to your purses, wallets, iPhones--and even your keys--when you're walking in the Quarter:

• Sunday (10.3.10) 3:35 a.m.: A 19-year-old white woman walking in the 500 block of Esplanade Avenue (between Decatur and Chartres streets) had her purse grabbed by a white guy who fled on foot toward Elysian Fields Avenue.

He was described as 25 to 30 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 150 pounds, wearing a white polo shirt and dark pants.

• Friday (10.1.10) 4:40 a.m.?p.m.? (take your choice: it was listed as "a.m." on the crime map and "p.m." on the report--and "6:16 a.m." on the crime list): An 18-year-old white boy walking in the 1000 block of Royal Street (between St. Philip Street and Ursulines Avenue) when a black guy came by and grabbed his keys from him, then fled toward Esplanade Avenue.

The robber was described as 21 to 25 years old, 5'9" tall, with mid-length dreadlocks, wearing a white shirt and black pants.

• Tuesday (9.28.10) 10:56 p.m.: A 46-year-old white woman walking in the 400 block of Dauphine Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) had her purse snatched by a white guy (have you notice that more and more white guys are joining the ranks of the robbers?).

He was described as 35 to 40 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 140 pounds, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

• Monday (9.27.10) 1:30 a.m.: A 48-year-old white woman walking in the 1000 block of Ursulines Avenue (between N. Rampart and Burgundy streets) was knocked to the ground by a black thug who took her property from her pockets. She didn't bother reporting the crime until 11:45 a.m.

She said her assailant was 5'7" tall, weighing 120 pounds, with short hair, wearing a black shirt and denim shorts.

* * *
Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the crime to enlarge it)

Sunday (9.26.10)

Auto Burglary, Camp & Julia, 2:40 a.m.
Theft, 415 Dauphine, 9:44 a.m.
Auto Theft, 334 Royal, 12:06 p.m.
Theft, 833 Poydras, 5:25 p.m.

Monday (9.27.10)

Auto Burglary, 1011 Tchoupitoulas, 8:22 a.m.
Theft, 135 St Charles, 8:49 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 1000 Ursulines, 11:45 a.m.
Auto Burglary, N Rampart & St Ann, 14:37 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 300 Canal, 3:24 p.m.
Auto Theft, 300 N Diamond, 4:24 p.m.
Auto Theft, 300 Camp, 5:16 p.m.
Theft, 739 Canal, 7:52 p.m.

Tuesday (9.28.10)

Auto Burglary, 619 S Peters, 7:24 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 619 S Peters, 9:52 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 619 S Peters, 10:39 a.m.
Theft, 209 Decatur, 1:05 p.m.
Theft, 400 Dauphine, 1:13 p.m.
Theft, 1500 Sugar Bowl, 2:25 p.m.
Auto Theft, Pauger & N Rampart, 7:43 p.m.
Purse Snatching , 400 Dauphine, 10:51 p.m.

Wednesday (9.29.10)

Shoplifting, 814 Canal, 4:21 p.m.
Residence Burglary , 1119 Dauphine, 9:02 p.m.

Thursday (9.30.10)

Auto Burglary, 817 Bienville, 8:33 a.m.
Auto Theft, Carondelet & Girod, 8:45 a.m.
Auto Theft, 600 Barracks, 10:42 a.m.

Friday (10.1.10)

Simple Robbery, 1006 Royal, 6:16 a.m.
Theft, 536 Bienville, 5:08 p.m.
Shoplifting, 840 Canal, 5:19 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, Esplanade & Frenchmen, 9:44 p.m.
Aggravated Battery, 300 O'Keefe, 11:32 p.m.
Auto Burglary, N Rampart & St Ann, 11:53 p.m.

Saturday (10.2.10)

Pickpocketing, 441 Bourbon, 1:41 a.m.
Theft, 819 St Louis, 1:42 a.m.
Theft, 511 Bourbon, 3:10 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 400 Decatur, 4:52 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 334 Royal, 1:46 p.m.
Theft, 503 Bourbon, 9:19 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Camel's nose in the tent

SOME well-meaning people are running around trying to make you think that if you vote for the new "public safety" taxing district this Saturday (10.2.10) the French Quarter will be safer.

They actually believe that taking a million dollars a year from you to put a couple of rent-a-cops--guys not good enough to be real cops--on the streets of the Quarter will do the trick.

The trick, however, is on them. They've been duped into doing the bidding for a bunch of businessmen profiteering on tourism. There's a reason Darryl Berger--the hotel mogul--is chairman of the French Quarter-Marigny Historic Area Management District (FQMHAMD), which is pushing the "public safety" tax. (If you want documents about the district or tax, you have to go by his office at 100 Conti St.)

In fact, 7 of 13 members of the board of directors represent business groups. They were all appointed by Ray Nagin--the most disastrous mayor the city's ever had--in 2009 and haven't had a meeting since Sept. 14, 2009. (The meetings are supposed to be open to the public, but if you want to see the minutes of any of the meetings, you are out of luck--you need authorization.)

VCPORA, the largest organization of residents in the Quarter, says it "found no compelling reason to support" the tax being voted on Oct. 2.

But the smaller French Quarter Citizens group--whose president is a tourism profiteer with his bed-&-breakfast in the Quarter--has lobbied mightily for what it calls the "security district."

What you've got to realize is, this "security district" is just the camel's nose in the tent. The legislation that created the FQMHAMD did so with the idea of giving it all sorts of power to regulate life in the French Quarter at the expense of residents, run by profiteers, to benefit tourism businesses.

It says as much on their webpage--along a whole list of tourist-type improvements it can make:

"The statutory purpose of the District is to strengthen the area within its boundaries as a vital component of Louisiana’s tourism industry; aid in the preservation of the District’s architecture, quaint charm and tout ensemble; beautify its appearance; improve public safety, foster quality experiences and quality of life within its boundaries; and improve commercial and residential vitality. The statutory functions of the District include strategic planning, business and commercial development activities and administering capital improvement funds."

You notice improving "public safety" was only one of its mandates. But who would vote for this new tax if they thought it was going to benefit tourism profiteers, rather than residents? Instead, these very clever men (and women) singled out "public safety" as the target of the tax. Who, after all, wouldn't be willing to pay for a safer Quarter?

Every residence and business in the Quarter will be taxed upwards of $185 a year, with the district taking in over $1 million annually. But the tax is flawed in two ways:

• Almost 29% of that will go for an executive director and assistant, plus other staff, office, and accouterments to create the bureaucracy that will perpetuate the district and help it further its agenda of boosting the profits of its cabal of businessmen. In other words, a big chunk of its revenue will go to things totally unrelated to "public safety."
  

• The rest of the money will go to hire a private contractor who will put 2+ rent-a-cops on the beat in the Quarter. They will have no arrest powers, and when armed will not be able to take their guns out of their holsters. They will have no more authority than the average citizen; they can call 911, you can call 911.
  

Proponents of the tax do not in any way document their assertion that their 2-man patrols will reduce crime, but do concede that they will deal only with nuisance ("quality of life") issues. Their favorite arguments are that:

• The tax rate proposed is the second lowest of 22 neighborhood taxing districts in the city; that could very well be an argument for raising the tax in 4 years when it will be up for renewal at the polls.

• If you don't like the "security district" you could vote it out in 4 years; that's not a very good argument to present to voters who allowed Ray Nagin to overstay his welcome in 2006.

It's a shame to see so many of my friends and neighbors hoodwinked in the name of "public safety" by those who profiteer from tourists. Tourists may be the lifeblood of businesses in the Quarter, but residents are the lifeblood of the neighborhood they come to "ooh" and "ahh" over. Residents should not foot the bill for people we already entertain with our lifestyle.

* * *

Read previous NOcrimeline analyses: "Don't be fooled!" (8.4.10) and "A slap in the face to the police" (9.22.10).

Download the public safety proposal by the French Quarter/Marigny Historic Area Management District.

Link to the statement by Kalen Wright of Lower Quarter Citizens Against Crime opposing the taxing district.

Your "NO" vote this Saturday Oct. 2 will restore some sanity to making the French Quarter safer--without exorbitant cost.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Hardly anything

Good guys winning?: In the past week, there were only 5 robberies--or attempted robberies--reported in the French Quarter and its environs. And on Friday (9.24.10)--Friday of all days!--the 8th District NOPD received absolutely NO reports of crimes.

On top of that, 8th District detectives hauled in a guy on Monday (9.20.10) they think committed a robbery the previous week in the Quarter. Police charged Solomon Matthews, 19, and charged him with simple robbery. (This is supposed to be Matthews' mug shot. If Sheriff Marlin Gusman fights crime like he takes pictures, heaven help us all. Hey, Marlin, spend a few bucks on a sheet to hang up as a backdrop before you go begging for millions for a new jail.)

Matthews is accused of grabbing an iPhone from a 51-year-old man on 9.14.10 near Bourbon and St. Louis streets.

Here are the other incidents in the past week:

• Monday (9.20.10) 11:41 a.m.: A 43-year-old white woman was walking--and talking--in the 600 block of Bourbon Street (between St. Peter and Toulouse streets) when a black boy grabbed her iPhone from her hand and hustled off. The police, in turn, grabbed the 13-year-old juvenile. No word on whether or not he was charged also as a truant--it was just before noon after all. Perhaps a cop on patrol should have noticed this young shaver was not in school--and could have prevented the woman from being robbed.
  

• Monday (9.20.10) 9:26 p.m.: A 52-year-old white woman was in the 2000 block of N. Rampart Street (between Touro and Frenchmen streets) when a black boy rolled up on a bicycle and pulled a pistol, demanding the woman's purse. She yelled for help and the little miscreant sped off on Touro toward Burgundy Street.

She described him as 13 to 15 years old (a curfew violator?), 5'8" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with short hair, wearing a dark-colored shirt.

• Thursday (9.23.10) 10:45 p.m.: A 30-year-old white man walking in the 500 block of Dumaine Street (between Decatur and Chartres streets) was robbed by 2 white thugs who knocked him to the ground and went through his pockets, taking what they could find.

The victim described both of them as 35 years old, 5'8" to 5'9" tall, with thin builds and black hair, wearing white T-shirts and--the only difference--one had black pants and the other blue jeans.

• Saturday (9.25.10) 3:00 a.m.: A 31-year-old white man was attacked by a gang of 4 or 5 black hoodlums who knocked him to the ground and took what they could from his pockets. The victim didn't bother to report the incident until 10 a.m. and he's not sure of the exact time of the incident or where it happened, though he thinks it was the 800 block of Canal Street. Other than saying they were black guys, he did note one of them had on a yellow shirt.

• Saturday (9.25.10) 9:00 p.m.: A 44-year-old white woman walking--and, again, talking--in the 1100 block of Decatur Street (between Ursulines Avenue and Gov. Nicholls Street) was relieved of her iPhone by 2 black boys who rode up on bicycles and snatched it from her hand.

She described the robbers as in their late teens, with dark complexions; one 5'9" tall, with a thin build and shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans; the other wore a white T-shirt.

Say what?: If you are registered to vote in the French Quarter you probably got one of those big postcards a couple of weeks ago from the folks who want you to give them a million dollars a year for to create a "security district" manned by make-believe cops.

They wanted you to come to an informational meeting on "Wednesday, September 21." The problem is, Sept. 21 was a Tuesday; the Wednesday after was Sept. 22. So was the meeting Tuesday or Wednesday? Was it Sept. 21 or Sept. 22? Naturally, this led to confusion.

No telling how many might have gone on Tuesday and how many on Wednesday. But one Royal Street antiques dealer said he went to the Omni Royal Orleans on Wednesday, only to be told the meeting had been held the night before.

"Personally," he says, "I think they are just going through the motions of informing the public--but don't really want our input, just our money."

Try it again: The French Quarter Citizens organization--which is big on this boondoggle--is holding another meeting about the "security district" proposal that will be on the ballot this Saturday (10.2.10).

The notice says the meeting is only for FQC members and their guests, but since it was sent to a non-member, it must mean all are welcome.

The meeting is Wednesday (9.29.10)--day and date match--from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the home of Bryan Francher, 639 Esplanade Ave. (at the corner of Royal Street).

COMSTAT on the move: This week's 8th District COMSTAT meeting on Wednesday (9.29.10) at 1 p.m., usually held at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, will be held at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon St., in the Oak Alley/Madewood Room on the second floor. The media and citizens are urged to attend to see how the NOPD plots its crimefighting strategy.

Anti-crime walk: Join Capt. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, officers in the district, and city leaders for the monthly community anti-crime walk on Wednesday (9.29.10) at 6:30 p.m. This is the route:

Begin at Dauphine and St. Ann; proceed on Dauphine for 2 blocks; left on Toulouse for 1 block; left on Bourbon for 2 blocks; right on St. Ann for 2 blocks; left on Chartres for 2 blocks; left on St. Philip for 3 blocks; end at Dauphine and St. Philip.

The community walks provide you with an opportunity to meet and interact with the police that serve your neighborhood and spread the message that the police and community stand together in efforts to combat violence. During the walk, officers provide Crimestoppers information and leaflets to citizens. The walk is held simultaneously in all police districts to show solidarity of our effort throughout the NOPD.

* * *
Crimes last week in the 8th District
(click the map to enlarge it)

Sunday (9.19.10)

Auto Theft, 400 Andrew Higgins, 1:50 a.m.
Auto Theft, 400 Burgundy, 2:19 a.m.
Theft, 344 Camp, 7:59 p.m.

Monday (9.20.10)

Theft, 441 Bourbon, 2:02 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 200 Burgundy, 4:08 a.m.
Auto Theft, Carondelet & Girod, 11:33 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 815 Dumaine, 11:42 a.m.
Theft, Chartres & St Philip, 8:49 p.m.
Attempted Armed Robbery, N Rampart & Touro, 9:28 p.m.

Tuesday (9.21.10)

Auto Burglary, 1101 Annunciation, 6:12 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1101 Annunciation, 6:44 a.m.
Auto Theft, Gravier & Magazine, 10:25 a.m.
Auto Theft, 400 Gravier, 10:28 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1011 Annunciation, 1:37 p.m.
Shoplifting, 711 St Peter, 3:04 p.m.
Theft, 500 Canal, 3:14 p.m.
Theft, 150 S Liberty, 3:58 p.m.

Wednesday (9.22.10)

Theft, 525 Fulton, 10:09 a.m.
Theft, 700 Poydras, 2:41 p.m.
Simple Burglary, 333 Canal, 6:57 p.m.
Theft, 405 Bourbon, 9:16 p.m.

Thursday (9.23.10)

Theft, 915 Decatur, 7:04 p.m.
Theft, 400 Dauphine, 9:33 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 500 Dumaine, 10:45 p.m.

Friday (9.24.10)

NONE!

Saturday (9.25.10)

Auto Theft, 1900 St Claude, 1:08 a.m.
Auto Theft, 900 Canal, 2:01 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 921 Canal, 10:04 a.m.
Shoplifting, 211 Decatur, 11:34 a.m.
Theft, 1100 Port of New Orleans, 12:17 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 1136 Decatur, 9:38 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Slap in the face to the police

THE WORDS "public safety" are a rallying cry for all those who want the French Quarter to be as safe as it can be--and who in their right mind doesn't want that? But the current effort to levy an exorbitant tax--the one you will vote on Oct. 2--to create a "public safety program" for the neighborhood is wrong-headed.

When the idea was first proposed a couple of years ago it made some sense; crime was rising and the former mayor and police chief had no clue what to do. Now that the program has been fleshed out, here's what it amounts to: A million dollars a year will be sucked from property owners and businesses in the Quarter to put 2 to 5 rent-a-cops on the streets. That's a lot of money for very little.

Not even the 2 major neighborhood organizations agree on whether the program is worth it:

VCPORA (Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates), the largest of the 2 groups, posted this statement:

"After closely monitoring proposals (for the public safety program) presented by the French Quarter/Marigny Historic Area Management District, the VCPORA board of directors found no compelling reason to support the parcel fee being presented to the voters on Oct. 2.

"VCPORA hosted a public forum on this issue, attended numerous meetings sponsored by FQMHAMD, and reviewed several versions of the business plan, including the final one submitted to us on Sept. 7.

"The vocal opposition of some VCPORA members and a number of unresolved questions related to FQMHAMD’s allocation of resources contributed to this decision, as did the general feeling that this was an issue best left to the judgment of individual residents."

On the other hand, the board of directors of French Quarter Citizens, the smaller of the 2 organizations, "voted unanimously to support creation of the security district. Our position is founded on several convictions:

"We are not satisfied with the current state of public safety, nor with efforts to address quality of life issues;

"We are not optimistic that present or foreseeable resources, financial or organizational, will be adequate to deal with either public safety or quality of life issues;

"We are convinced that additional effort is necessary, and the current proposal provides the prospects for community-controlled additional crime deterrent and quality of life enforcement assistance at a reasonable cost."

This is a slap in the face to the professional police officers of the NOPD. Proponents of the program are saying to the NOPD: "You aren't doing the job."

That may have been the case at one time, but in the 4 short months the new police chief has been in charge, things have changed dramatically: Crime is down, department morale is up, bad apples are being discarded, and it's now tougher to join the NOPD.

The "public safety" program's rent-a-cops--guys not good enough to be real cops--will have no arrest powers and will not even be allowed to take their weapons out of their holsters for any reason. They will be relegated to being watchdogs "for public nuisance or ordinance violations, including panhandling, public urination, graffiti, loitering, public disturbance, blocked driveways, non-violent disputes, and disruptively loud music."

These are hardly issues that threaten public safety in the Quarter. They're nuisances yes, but hardly anything that would prevent anyone from leaving their house at night.

Consider this: How often are you going to see these Boy Scout-type patrols? The NOPD's 8th District puts about 40 of its officers on the street every shift and they're criticized for not being more visible. The private patrol will have only 2 to 5 who have 188+ blocks to cover (Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue; N. Rampart Street to the river).

You think they're going to see them on your street--or will they be up protecting the tourist traps whose executives clog the board of directors pushing this taxing district?

This special taxing district wants home owners (including condos) to fork over at least $185 a year (businesses pay even more) to pay for their 2+ non-professional cops. I don't know about you, but it says on the back of my tax bill that 10% of my taxes go to the NOPD--that's only about 60% of what this new taxing district wants!

It's like Woody Guthrie sang: "Some rob you with a 6-gun, some with a fountain pen." Hell, the bad guys on the streets of the Quarter could rob me 3 or 4 times a year and they'd get less than the bureaucrats in the new taxing district want from my pocket.

Out of the $1+ million they figure to shake down from property owners, they're planning to pay an executive director and his assistant up to $155,000 a year. And, of course, this bureaucracy will have other expenses that have to be paid before they can hire their rent-a-cops. Proponents argue that this plan won't create a bureaucracy. How many employees do you need to be a bureaucracy?

Bureaucracies start small and grow and grow--just give them your money and they'll find a way to expand to use all the dollars you make available. Where are those Tea Party folks when you need them? Isn't that what they're against?

Proponents seem to be saying, "Try it, you'll like it." They point out there will be another vote in 2014 to decide whether to renew. But as most of us have come to realize, bureaucracies don't go away.

The March of Dimes didn't when polio did. And the promise that tolls on the Crescent City Connection would end when the bridge was paid for doesn't look like one citizens are going to win.

If the rich folks in the Quarter feel they've got a spare $1 million laying it around, how about giving it to the professional police in the 8th District. Did you know the city does NOT supply pens, paper and printer ink cartridges to the police? Or light bulbs? Or cleaning supplies--not even toilet paper? How would you like to have to stick a roll of toilet paper in your briefcase or lunch bucket to take to work?

If you've got all this money you're willing to donate to this misguided effort to rent cops, why not give it to the real cops who are already protecting you in the French Quarter?

* * *

Read an earlier analysis by NOcrimeline.

Read the public saftey proposal by the French Quarter/Marigny Historic Area Management District.

Read the opposition statement by Kalen Wright of Lower Quarter Citizens Against Crime.

Then make up your own mind. There's one thing that will stop the rich folks from robbing you with this boondoggle: Your "NO" vote on Oct. 2--a week from this Saturday.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

No man's land

Bad place to be: What is it about the 400 block of Bourbon Street between Conti and St. Louis streets? Early Wednesday morning (9.15.10) a black punk took a potshot at 4 undercover detectives from the 8th District. That's the same block where a Gretna cop was killed during a fight in June.

No one was hit by the shot fired Wednesday, but the officers swarmed on Brandon Steen, 29, and arrested him on 4 counts of attempted first-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon and illegally carrying a weapon; a few days later when they found he was a felon, they also charged him for possession of a firearm by a felon.

Here's how it went down: Around 12:30 a.m. that morning, a citizen told detectives working a narcotics detail about a black guy with a gun. Based on the description they got, Ofc. Joe Jefferson, Ofc. Travis Ward, Ofc. Alex Brady and Ofc. Marc Vazquez canvassed Bourbon Street and spotted the suspect in the 400 block. As they approached him, he allegedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and fired one shot toward the officers. The detectives immediately tackled the shooter and attempted to disarm him. The suspect tried to keep control of his weapon by keeping it under him while on the ground.

Bad move unless you like shocking electricity. Lt. Anthony Micheu arrived on the scene and Tasered the miscreant, which yielded the .38-caliber handgun from the suspect and allowed the officers to handcuff the now-docile Steen.

Steen is languoring in OPP on a $270,000 bond.

* * *

Charges have been reduced against the kid's who's accused of killing Gretna police officer Brett Thomas. The charge of second-degree murder against Joshua Miner, 20, was reduced to manslaughter on Thursday (9.16.10) and his bond was reduced from $1 million to $350,000. He is accused of throwing a punch during an argument that landed on the back of Thomas' head, killing him instantly.

Otherwise, quiet: If you ignore the shot fired at the cops and another hail of bullets a few days earlier in which one man was wounded, it was a relatively quiet week in the French Quarter. One armed robbery and 3 unarmed ones was about it:

• Saturday (9.18.10) 3:51 a.m.: Three drunk women in their 20's were nearly robbed in the 1100 block of Canal Street (between S. Rampart Street and Elk Place) by a guy with his hand under his shirt, making like he had a gun. He demanded their money, they screamed and ran away. Noting that the victims, all white, ages 28, 22 and 21, appeared intoxicated during his initial interview with them, postponed further investigation.

The assailant was described as a white man, 25 to 35 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 180 pounds, with short blond hair

• Saturday (9.18.10) 5:30 a.m.: Must be something in the water--maybe bourbon. A 25-year-old white guy was walking near Iberville and Bourbon streets when 4 black thugs grabbed him and took his wallet from his pocket before fleeing on foot on Iberville toward N. Rampart Street.

He was unable to give an accurate description of his assailants during an initial interview.

• Saturday (9.18.10) 5:00 a.m.: This guy didn't bother to report being robbed until several hours after it happened and then couldn't give an accurate description of the robber either. The 31-year-old white fella said he was walking in the 700 block of Orleans Avenue (between Royal and Bourbon streets) when he was grabbed by a black dude who grabbed him and demanded his money. He complied and the robber fled on foot toward Bourbon.

• Tuesday (9.14.10) 6:25 p.m.: This lady was able at least to give somewhat of a description of the black boy who robbed her even though she was jabbering on her cellphone at the time. The victim, a 51-year-old white woman, was standing near Bourbon and St. Louis streets when the little punk came up and grabbed the iPhone right out of her hand.

She said he was 16 to 18 years old, 5'9" tall, with short twists in his hair.

Robbery solved: It took a couple of weeks, but 8th District detectives think it was Benjamin Kent, a 38-year-old black dude who also goes by the name of Michael Johnson, who robbed a 36-year-old white guy on Bienville Street near Royal Street on 8.31.10. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

The suspect panhandled the victim for some money, but when the victim took his wallet from his pocket, the robber grabbed it and fled. The victim described his assailant as 5'6" to 5'8" tall, weighing 220 to 250 pounds.

If you know Benjamin Kent--or Michael Johnson--rat him out to Crimestoppers at 822-1111 and collect the $2,500 reward.

* * *
Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the map to enlarge it)

Sunday (9.12.10)

Auto Theft, 1420 Burgundy, 12:16 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Elysian Fields & Royal, 4:07 p.m.
Theft, 700 Tchoupitoulas, 8:06 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1022 St Philip, 9:02 p.m.

Monday (9.13.10)

Theft, 930 Poydras, 9:42 a.m.
Auto Theft, Burgundy & Iberville, 10:04 a.m.
Auto Theft, 700 Burgundy, 14:53 p.m.

Tuesday (9.14.10)

Theft, Julia & St Charles, 8:39 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Dauphine & Ursulines, 9:53 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1303 Burgundy, 10:55 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 800 St Philip, 5:48 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & St Louis, 6:43 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 735 Camp, 7:46 p.m.
Shoplifting, 800 Canal, 8:06 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 S Rampart, 8:24 p.m.

Wednesday (9.15.10)

Attempted Murder, 415 Bourbon, 12:36 a.m.
Auto Theft, 500 Conti, 10:50 a.m.
Theft, 932 Bourbon, 5:08 p.m.

Thursday (9.16.10)

Auto Theft, St Joseph & Tchoupitoulas, 5:56 a.m.
Business Burglary, 201 St Charles, 10:44 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 535 Tchoupitoulas, 1:22 p.m.
Theft, 909 Royal, 2:44 p.m.
Theft, 621 St Louis, 6:48 p.m.

Friday (9.17.10)

Auto Theft, Bienville & Chartres, 5:22 a.m.
Shoplifting, 902 Poydras, 10:38 a.m.
Theft, 515 Gravier, 11:13 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, Camp & Canal, 11:29 a.m.
Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 12:29 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1700 N Rampart, 8:03 p.m.

Saturday (9.18.10)

Aggravated Battery, Bourbon & Iberville, 2:19 a.m.
Armed Robbery (Implied), 1100 Canal, 3:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 S Rampart, 5:05 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & Iberville, 5:40 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 700 Orleans, 6:51 a.m.
Theft, 201 Baronne, 10:15 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 Port of New Orleans, 11:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 Port of New Orleans, 11:51 a.m.
Pickpocketing, Decatur & Toulouse, 1:29 p.m.
Auto Theft, 344 St Joseph, 7:14 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

The devil's in the details

Back to "normal": Once the Labor Day/Decadence weekend was over, crime dropped dramatically. Even with the Saints' season opener hoopla around Jackson Square, things were relatively tame. But we're still scratching our head over the inconsistencies between the crime map and the reports the 8th District sends out. May have had something to do with hosting several hundred of thousands of fans in the French Quarter.

Can't outrun a horse: 8th District cops were only a block away when they heard gunshots coming from the 300 block of N. Peters Street (by Bienville Street) around 3 a.m. on Saturday (9.11.10).

At least one of the shots hit its intended target, a black dude who got into a tiff that started in an unnamed club, perhaps nearby on Decatur Street where there have been a number of shoot'em ups in the past.

The victim was taken to the hospital where he was reported in stable condition.

The cops pursued the alleged shooter to the riverfront where he is thought to have disposed of his weapon in the water. One of the mounted units now stationed in the 8th District apprehended Gerelle Caliste, 21.

He was charged with attempted first-degree murder. His bond is set at $400,000.

Otherwise, pesky robberies: Some inconsistencies in these reports, but here's what we've got as accurate as we can get it:

• Thursday (9.9.10) 3:40 a.m.: The report said this robbery happened on Thursday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m., but the map showed the date as 9.9.10--which Thursday was--at 3:40 a.m, which turned out to be correct.

A 46-year-old white man walking in the 600 block of St. Peter Street (between Chartres and Royal streets) when he was accosted by 3 black guys, one of whom grabbed him while the others relieved him of his property.

Police say they arrested a 29-year-old man, a 20-year-old man, and a 13-year-old black boy. But the 29-year-old was released from jail by a magistrate judge who found no probable cause; the 20-year-old never showed up in court records; and God-only knows what be came of the black boy. So, what we have, is still an unsolved case.

• Wednesday (9.8.10) or Tuesday (9.7.10) at 10:30 a.m.?: The report said "Wednesday", but the map said "Tuesday".

But what happened, we think, is a 23-year-old white woman was robbed when a blue Lincoln MarkVIII pulled along side her at Chartres and Madison streets and a black guy jumped out and grabbed her purse from her shoulder before getting back in the car and speeding off.

He was described as 27 to 33 years old, 6' tall, with a thin build, wearing all dark clothing.

• Tuesday (9.7.10) 2:00 a.m.: The only thing troubling here is the victim didn't bother to report it until Friday (9.10.10).

The 46-year-old white guy said he was walking in the 300 block of Burgundy Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) when a black guy came up and slugged him and then took his wallet from his pocket.

He described the robber as 18 to 26 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with braids.

Other robberies previously reported last week with no known discrepancies:

• Tuesday (9.7.10) 12:43 a.m.: A 71-year-old white lady walking in the 1900 block of N. Rampart Street (between Pauger and Touro streets) was mugged by a big black thug who grabbed her purse from her shoulder and fled on foot.

He was described as 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a thin build and short hair, wearing a light-colored T-shirt.

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:45 a.m.: A 21-year-old white guy walking in the 800 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets) had his iPhone snatched from his hand by a black punk who fled on foot toward N. Rampart Street.

The thief was described as 15 to 17 years old, with a heavy build, wearing a white T-shirt.

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:00 a.m.: A white woman was sitting in the Cat's Meow, 701 Bourbon St., when 2 white guys came up and one grabbed her wallet from her purse. She demanded it back but they refused and fled on foot.

The robber was described as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, with dark black hair; his accomplice was described simply as "a white male".

* * *
Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the map to enlarge it)

Sunday (9.5.10)

Aggravated Battery, 100 Bourbon, 12:20 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 701 Bourbon, 1:17 a.m.
Theft, 435 Esplanade, 1:35 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 800 St Louis, 2:00 a.m.
Business Burglary, 109 Royal, 2:26 a.m.
Theft, 344 Camp, 3:11 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Decatur & Wilkinson, 8:56 a.m.
Auto Theft, 900 Bienville, 9:33 a.m.
Auto Theft, 925 Common, 11:00 a.m.
Theft, 300 Chartres, 10:20 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 500 St Louis, 10:25 p.m.

Monday (9.6.10)

Theft, 301 St Joseph, 1:32 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, 500 Bourbon, 3:31 a.m.
Theft, 522 Bourbon, 4:30 a.m.
Theft, 800 Decatur, 8:19 a.m.
Theft, 601 Poydras, 12:08 p.m.
Theft, 221 Carondelet, 1:48 p.m.

Tuesday (9.7.10)

Pursesnatching, 1900 N Rampart, 12:43 a.m.
Pursesnatching, Chartres & Madison, 10:30 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 8 Canal, 6:32 p.m.
Auto Theft, Dauphine & Iberville, 9:13 p.m.

Wednesday (9.8.10)

Theft, 8 Canal, 12:51 p.m.
Auto Theft, Girod & Magnolia, 9:46 p.m.
Theft, 131 Decatur, 10:51 p.m.

Thursday (9.9.10)

Simple Robbery, 600 St Peter, 3:30 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 500 Baronne, 11:08 a.m.
Theft, 225 Decatur, 5:54 p.m.
Residence Burglary, 900 block of Lafayette, 10:46 p.m.

Friday (9.10.10)

Bicycle Theft, 800 Decatur, 8:38 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 Burgundy, 12:05 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 300 Burgundy, 12:47 p.m.
Auto Theft, 731 Royal, 4:20 p.m.
Shoplifting, 232 Bourbon, 10:44 p.m.

Saturday (9.11.10)

Attempted murder, 300 N Peters, 3:01 a.m.
Shoplifting, 1007 Decatur, 10:02 a.m.
Theft, 329 Bourbon, 5:59 p.m.
Auto Theft, 400 La Salle, 11:30 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Decadence, indeed

What the...?: It's hard to believe that the Southern Decadence frivolities on Labor Day weekend had anything to do with the rash of robberies in the past week--unless the punks pulling the capers thought guys dressed like girls were easy marks. (If you asked me, those guys were pretty burly and didn't look like anything to mess with.)

But here's what we had:

• Tuesday (9.7.10) 12:43 a.m.: A 71-year-old white lady walking in the 1900 block of N. Rampart Street (between Pauger and Touro streets) was mugged by a big black thug who grabbed her purse from her shoulder and fled on foot.

He was described as 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a thin build and short hair, wearing a light-colored T-shirt.

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:45 a.m.: A 21-year-old walking in the 800 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets) had his iPhone snatched from his hand by a black punk who fled on foot toward N. Rampart Street.

The thief was described as 15 to 17 years old, with a heavy build, wearing a white T-shirt. (If that's the best description you could give, no wonder you didn't see the robber approaching.)

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:00 a.m.: A white woman was sitting in the Cat's Meow, 701 Bourbon St., when 2 white guys came up and one grabbed her wallet from her purse. She demanded it back but they refused and fled on foot. (Hey, I thought that place had bouncers to deal with things like that?)

The robber was described as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, with dark black hair; his accomplice was described simply as "a white male" (and you know they all look alike).

• Saturday (9.4.10) 7:41 p.m.: Two white men, 51 and 41, were in the 200 block of Bourbon Street (between Iberville and Bienville streets) when a black chic came up and put something on their shoes, then demanded that they owed her for a shoeshine. When they refused, a black dude came up and demanded they pay the woman for the shine.

Cops say they arrested him, Nickey Perkins, 31, for simple robbery, but there was no record of it in court documents.

• Saturday (9.4.10) 3:15 a.m.: A 39-year-old white man was in the 200 block of Bourbon Street when a young black guy came by and grabbed the iPhone from his hand.

The robber was described as in his early 20's, 5'10" tall, with a thin build and dreadlocks, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Saturday (9.4.10) 12:30 a.m.: A trio of middle-aged white men, 44, 49, and 54, were walking in the 1300 block of Bourbon Street (between Esplanade Avenue and Barracks Street) when 2 black thugs came up, one of them toting a pistol, and demanded money. The would-be victims instead hollered for help and the would-be robbers fled on foot.

The gunman was described as 6'2" tall, with a slim build and short hair, wearing all dark clothing; his accomplice was "black".

• Friday (9.3.10) 3:09 a.m.: A 54-year-old white man walking near Dauphine and Iberville streets was robbed by a black guy who pushed him to the ground and took the victim's wallet from his rear pocket and then fled on foot up Dauphine toward Canal Street.

The robber was described as 30-years-old, 5'11" tall, with a thin build, wearing all dark clothing.

• Friday (9.3.10) 12:30 a.m.: Two men, one a 33-year-old Hispanic and the other a 43-year-old white, were robbed at gunpoint by 2 black creeps while walking in the 200 block of Burgundy Street (between Iberville and Bienville streets).

The gunman was described as 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, with cornrows or dreadlocks, wearing all blue clothing; the other was just black.

• Tuesday (8.31.10) 10:59 p.m.: A 36-year-old white man was in the 700 block of Canal Street (between Royal and Bourbon streets) when a fat black dude came up and panhandled him. When the man took his wallet out of his pocket, the panhandler got greedy and grabbed the whole thing from the donor's hand, and fled on foot.

The robber was described as in his mid-20's, 5'6" to 5'8" tall, weighing 220 to 250 pounds, wearing a gray shirt and black pants.

• Tuesday (8.31.10) 9:41 p.m.: An armed black guy robbed the 46-year-old male Hispanic cashier at the parking garage at 210 N. Rampart St. (the corner of Iberville Street, next to the New Orleans Athletic Club) flashing his pistol and grabbing money from the cash register before fleeing on foot.

The robber was described as 5'9" tall, weighing 200 pounds, with a muscular build and dark complexion, wearing a gray T-shirt and blue jeans. Two days later, cops arrested Clardie Ellis III, 25, and charged him with armed robbery. He is in OPP on $150,000 bond.

(A couple of days later, on Saturday night (9.4.10), the same 46-year-old Hispanic parking attendant was assaulted by a white guy he got into an argument with around 2 a.m. The driver got out of his car, allegedly shoving the parking attendant to the ground and pulling out a pistol and pointing it at him.

The guy drove off but police soon caught up with Joseph P. Johnson, 23, and charged him with illegally carrying a weapon, aggravated assault, and simple battery. His line of work must be lucrative, since he managed to post $65,000 bond before he could even have his mugshot taken.)

Bad guys brought in: Within less than 48 hours, 2 wanted suspects featured on NOcrimeline.com last week were apprehended by the NOPD:

• Joshua Louis Miner, 20, turned himself in at Central Lockup on Wednesday (9.1.10) around around 1 p.m., accompanied by his attorney, Robert Jenkins, and met by officers from the Violent Offenders Warrant Squad.

Miner was booked with second-degree murder after Homicide Det. Daniel McMullen identified him as the prime suspect in the murder of Gretna police officer Brett Thomas on 6.27.10 in the French Quarter.

According to investigators, 8th District cops responded to a call of a fight in the 400 block of Bourbon Street around 4 a.m. and upon their arrival, found the Thomas lying on the ground motionless. Emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where he later died. The victim was off duty at the time and had accompanied friends to Bourbon Street, when an argument with a group of black guys escalated into a fight. Thomas was struck from behind by one of the blacks which caused him to collapse. The subjects then fled the scene.

Miner is being held on $1 million bond.

• Carlos Vargas-Alcerreca, 25, was arrested Tuesday (8.31.10) around 5:15 p.m. by the NOPD in the 2600 block of Tulane Avenue after a tip from Crimestoppers.

Vargas was transported to police headquarters for questioning and was booked at Central Lock-Up with aggravated rape and simple robbery for the alleged sexual assault on 8.28.10 of a woman at Mandeville and Decatur streets in the Faubourg Marigny.

According to investigators, the victim and her female friend met an unknown Hispanic male while they were in a bar on Frenchmen Street in the Marigny Triangle. While inside the bar, the victim went to the restroom. When she returned from the restroom, she did not see her friend in the bar. The Hispanic male told her that her friend had gone to another bar and that her friend asked him to bring her to the other bar. The victim followed the Hispanic male out of the bar and proceeded to walk with him presumably to the other bar. When the victim and the Hispanic male approached Mandeville and Decatur, he struck the victim in the face. When the victim attempted to run, the suspect grabbed her by her hair and struck her several times in the face and sexually assaulted her. The suspect fled when a passer by approached the intersection.

Vargas is being held on $510,000 bond.

9/11 memorial service: Chief of Police Ronal W. Serpas announced that the NOPD, in conjunction with New Orleans Fire Department, New Orleans Emergency Medical Service and Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, will hold a memorial service to honor emergency services members who perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

The service is open to the public and will be held at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., on Saturday (9.11.10). It will begin promptly at 7:40 a.m. and will last approximately 45 minutes.

Also participating in this solemn ceremony will be Pegasus White Doves, a local group that are members of the National White Dove Release Society. The National White Dove Release Society is planning the largest simultaneous White Dove release in history as a tribute to those who paid the ultimate price during 9-11. Over 4,300 white doves will be released across America. As part of the local ceremony, Pegasus White Doves will release a dozen birds.

Football?: Due to the start of the Saints regular season, the 8th District’s NONPAC meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m., at the Maison Dupuy Hotel, 1001 Toulouse St., instead of on Sept. 9.

Crimes last week in the 8th District

(Click on the map below to enlarge it)

Sunday (8.29.10)

Armed Robbery, 900 Orleans, 2:22 a.m.
Purse Snatching, Canal & Exchange, 5:06 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 N Peters, 8:55 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 124 Royal, 9:46 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 623 Toulouse, 10:28 a.m.
Shoplifting, 400 N Peters, 5:30 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 2125 N Rampart, 8:11 p.m.

Monday (8.30.10)

Auto Theft, 831 Baronne, 10:09 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 Toulouse, 6:34 p.m.

Tuesday (8.31.10)

Theft, 228 Poydras, 3:23 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 228 Poydras, 4:25 a.m.
Theft, N Diamond & Tchoupitoulas, 11:45 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 365 Canal, 7:24 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 210 N Rampart, 9:41 p.m.
Auto Theft, 365 Canal, 10:14 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 778 Bienville, 10:59 p.m.

Wednesday (9.1.10)

Auto Burglary, 929 Barracks, 4:09 a.m.
Shoplifting, 1124 Decatur, 5:13 p.m.

Thursday (9.2.10)

Shoplifting, 900 Canal, 7:58 a.m.
Auto Theft, 221 Carondelet, 8:35 a.m.
Theft, 408 N Peters, 8:20 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 600 Dumaine, 10:15 p.m.

Friday (9.3.10)

Armed Robbery, 200 Burgundy, 12:37 a.m.
Theft, 419 Bourbon, 2:04 a.m.

Saturday (9.4.10)

Auto Burglary, 100 Girod, 12:00 a.m.
Theft, 606 Frenchmen, 1:46 a.m.
Theft, 540 Burgundy, 2:16 a.m.
Aggravated Assault, 210 N Rampart, 2:41 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 200 Bourbon, 3:21 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 800 Bourbon, 5:21 a.m.
Theft, 400 Burgundy, 6:59 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 7:15 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 8:42 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 10:10 a.m.
Auto Theft, 100 N Rampart, 11:25 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Dauphine & Iberville, 1:18 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 365 Canal, 1:44 p.m.
Theft, 123 Baronne, 2:14 p.m.
Theft, 107 Chartres, 4:54 p.m.
Shoplifting, 609 Chartres, 5:43 p.m.
Theft, 1104 Decatur, 6:25 p.m.
Auto Theft, 721 St Philip, 6:39 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 200 Bourbon, 7:41 p.m.
Simple Burglary, 1415 Tulane, 9:06 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 1300 Bourbon, 9:26 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler