gang robberies in HoCo

[danb]

When and where were the other ones?

this one was at Wilde lake, with a taser.

http://columbia.patch.com/articles/...man-in-wilde-lake-howard-county-crime-reports

I think I saw another one on the blotter too last week.

Yes and no. Technically they aren't gang robberies and it really has nothing to do with the only 2-3 get caught.

I meant "gang" in the sense of a "large group of individuals."

 

[Robert]

Yes and no. Technically they aren't gang robberies and it really has nothing to do with the only 2-3 get caught.

The real problem is its being accepted as the cool thing to do. At 28 I hate to sound like a dad here but this is actually becoming a serious social problem. The kids on FB and twitter are making fun of other kids saying they aren't thugs because they aren't robbing nobody. I could explain in recent "beefs" of semi famous rappers but its not worth it.

What it honestly boils down to is thanks to specific people that the youth looks up to robbing becomes the cool thing to do. This behavior is only going to increase because the attorneys are dropping the robbery charges to a misd theft and a misd assault so there is no serious punishment. I'm not just speaking for DC either MD in general is going to see his problem explode.

I will defer to your expertise in the definition of gang and such things. I think, as you have somewhat pointed out, there is very little consequences for this behavior, so things will only get worst.

Does anyone know the number of these incidences in areas that have strong punishment for such crimes or shall issue?

 

[tm12]

Pretty much. There have never been any real consequences for any of their behavior previously, so this is just the natural continuation.

Yep. Several years ago (when we lived in Silver Spring) a large group of "young men" rampaged through our neighborhood (smashing car windows and such) after unsuccessfully trying to steal a car. The police were called both to report the damage and the location of the group (one neighbor followed them to the McDonald's around the corner). While the officers took reports and I believe talked to them, that was the extent of it. The officers explained to us that since there was such a large group, it would be difficult to determine who actually did what. Ultimately it was too much trouble to round them all up and take them in. As someone later explained to the troubled youth who commit even serious crimes (armed robbery) see little to no consequence (such as writing a letter of apology to the victim). Of course, nobody bats an eye for vandalism. It is sad that people are allowed rampage/cause damage and not even lose 10 mins from their Sat night. Meanwhile, the law-abiding folks impacted had to spend their time and money to repair the situation.

 

[fabsroman]

Yep. Several years ago (when we lived in Silver Spring) a large group of "young men" rampaged through our neighborhood (smashing car windows and such) after unsuccessfully trying to steal a car. The police were called both to report the damage and the location of the group (one neighbor followed them to the McDonald's around the corner). While the officers took reports and I believe talked to them, that was the extent of it. The officers explained to us that since there was such a large group, it would be difficult to determine who actually did what. Ultimately it was too much trouble to round them all up and take them in. As someone later explained to the troubled youth who commit even serious crimes (armed robbery) see little to no consequence (such as writing a letter of apology to the victim). Of course, nobody bats an eye for vandalism. It is sad that people are allowed rampage/cause damage and not even lose 10 mins from their Sat night. Meanwhile, the law-abiding folks impacted had to spend their time and money to repair the situation.

If nothing else, the officers should have detained them ALL, searched all of them while detaining them, and determined if they have anything illegal on them (e.g., drugs, guns, knives). We want to stop gun violence, but then the cops don't even want to take an opportunity like that to put some fear in those kids.

Ultimately, I think it all comes down to parenting.

 

[MaxVO2]

If nothing else, the officers should have detained them ALL, searched all of them while detaining them, and determined if they have anything illegal on them (e.g., drugs, guns, knives). We want to stop gun violence, but then the cops don't even want to take an opportunity like that to put some fear in those kids.

Ultimately, I think it all comes down to parenting.

****Or lack of parenting. Many of these kids have parents with the same ideology and outlook on life. I had a home in Germantown some years back and moved once I saw the section 8 and other subsidized housing come in and bring people that were violent, dirty, and kids that were out of control.

 

[fabsroman]

****Or lack of parenting. Many of these kids have parents with the same ideology and outlook on life. I had a home in Germantown some years back and moved once I saw the section 8 and other subsidized housing come in and bring people that were violent, dirty, and kids that were out of control.

We just moved out of a townhouse in Germantown. That was a complete mess, but we knew we would only be there for 8 years or less. Bought it in 2004 and the plan was to save enough cash to put a substantial down payment on a single family home before our kids would have to go to school. When we moved in, I did not think it was as bad as it turned out to be.

A year after we moved in, in 2005, and the day after our wedding, we came home to 5 police cars in our parking lot such that we could not even get into our garage. The renter next door was seated on a curb while officers with latex gloves on were going through her vehicle and questioning a man in a Cadillac Escalade. The entire thing lasted 3 hours. Turns out she was arrested for selling crack and she had a newborn and a 7 year old. Woke up one more a couple years later after we had kids and Latin King gang symbols were spray painted on one of the condo complexes across from our townhouse.

Don't worry, the cancer will eventually reach Derwood. My parents are in Silver Spring and they are surrounded by apartments in Glenwood, White Oak, and Aspen Hill. What was once a very nice area is a complete disaster.

I am pretty sure that the cancer will spread to where we are in Howard County right now, but it will take some time. First, sewer needs to get here so they can build apartments, condos, and townhouses. Then, those apartments, condos, and townhouses will have to become old a dilapidated such that the people that can afford better will. It really is a sad situation as you watch this blight move from our inner cities outward.

 

[tgeb]

Germantown used to be a very nice community, and most of it still is. Unfortunately I have watched this get worse and worse since the late 1970's. I don't see an end to the infiltration.

 

[BigBossMan]

I've been here two years and you guys are already making me want to move and/or buy bigger guns.

We were in Germantown before this and I had the pleasure of waking up one morning to Latin King graffiti symbols painted on the condo complex across from our townhouse. They stayed on the condo complex for about a month.

Talk to the police though, and there is no gang activity in Germantown. Had a case in early March against the Frederick Assistant State's Attorney and he said they are seeing plenty of gang activity in Frederick City and he is the one in charge of gang and gun crimes.

It is refreshing to know that we have it here in Columbia. Have to wonder how long it will take for it to move out west. Took a while for it to move from Wheaton to Germantown. Only a matter of time for the cancer to spread.

No gang activity in Germantown? lol He either lied to you or is sadly misinformed.

 

[fabsroman]

Germantown used to be a very nice community, and most of it still is. Unfortunately I have watched this get worse and worse since the late 1970's. I don't see an end to the infiltration.

Back in the 90's I used to hunt on cornfields in Germantown that are now housing developments. Never hunted in Clarksburg, but the same is happening there. The "nice" parts of Germantown are where the single family homes are being built. We lived right next to the milestone shopping center and that place wasn't the greatest.

As the newer housing gets older, you will find more and more of the cancer moving in. As the cancer moves in, crime goes up, and the cancer rate just escalates as the good cells leave to avoid the cancer. The trend can be seen throughout the nation around any major city.

 

[whistlersmother]

I am pretty sure that the cancer will spread to where we are in Howard County right now, but it will take some time. First, sewer needs to get here so they can build apartments, condos, and townhouses. Then, those apartments, condos, and townhouses will have to become old a dilapidated such that the people that can afford better will. It really is a sad situation as you watch this blight move from our inner cities outward.

Hit the zoning board to keep apartments and townhouses out of your area.

Currently, public water and sewer are supposed to be extended just into Maple Lawn, with no further plans for any west of that. I'm a few miles from Maple Lawn, so hopefully when it becomes dilapidated, the no-parental kids will stay over there, but I doubt it.

I agree that this problem will only get worse because parent today haven't instilled consequences into their children. Fifteen years from now, the current hoodlums' kids will be worse.

 

[pbharvey]

Hit the zoning board to keep apartments and townhouses out of your area.

Currently, public water and sewer are supposed to be extended just into Maple Lawn, with no further plans for any west of that. I'm a few miles from Maple Lawn, so hopefully when it becomes dilapidated, the no-parental kids will stay over there, but I doubt it.

I agree that this problem will only get worse because parent today haven't instilled consequences into their children. Fifteen years from now, the current hoodlums' kids will be worse.

What's the latest on the maple lawn apartments? I have an attorney friend who attended the hearing and he felt like they were going to get approved.

 

[jrumann59]

This is impossible its Howard county...a utopian paradise with no crime

 

[MaxVO2]

This is impossible its Howard county...a utopian paradise with no crime

***It's funny you mention this as I have a liberal acquaintance shopping for housing there who said essentially the same thing. I sent them a few links from recent postings and other HoCo crime news and they were *shocked* I tell ya..

I told them to move to Chicago as guns and assault weapons are banned there so gun crime, and violent crime in general must be non-existent.

 

[jrumann59]

***It's funny you mention this as I have a liberal acquaintance shopping for housing there who said essentially the same thing. I sent them a few links from recent postings and other HoCo crime news and they were *shocked* I tell ya..

I told them to move to Chicago as guns and assault weapons are banned there so gun crime, and violent crime in general must be non-existent.

I lived in Columbia from 92-99 and I talked to a couple of HoCo cops and they told me that Columbia's dirty little secret is the area that they call Columbia is the area around the mall and when they used to tout no murders in Columbia they were talking about that area as opposed to the individual villages which all have Columbia city addresses. That and the Rouse Compnay controlled Little Patuxent Publishing, "Columbia Flyer" so they approved all blotter reports in the paper.

 

[sykesville]

Columbia is a gang-filled ghetto, and getting worse by the day. Where's O'Malley when something tangible has to be done? Where is the common sense? It makes me sick to read these crime summaries.

 

[K31]

Yes and no. Technically they aren't gang robberies

Hey, you could be Mayor of Annapolis. After several people were attacked and robbed there one summer by gangs er, hordes er, "spontaneous social gatherings" of 12 or so yutes, he said "Annapolis does not have a gang problem".

 

[thebullpupkid]

The kids on FB and twitter are making fun of other kids saying they aren't thugs because they aren't robbing nobody. I could explain in recent "beefs" of semi famous rappers but its not worth it.

What it honestly boils down to is thanks to specific people that the youth looks up to robbing becomes the cool thing to do. This behavior is only going to increase because the attorneys are dropping the robbery charges to a misd theft and a misd assault so there is no serious punishment. I'm not just speaking for DC either MD in general is going to see his problem explode.

Columbia has been full of such "thugs" since the 90's. I remember guys who grew up in $250,000 houses robbing people to get their "cred." Those bike paths between all the neighborhoods used to be really nice. Now they're places to get robbed and/or assaulted.