Carjacking outside of Broderick Tower - 9:30 pm Wednesday Night

[animatedmartian]

This isn't the first time something like this has happened in Midtown. This is just the first time it's gotten "mass media" exposure.

I didn't say it wasn't the first time [[nor the last time). It just doesn't seem indicative of any trend.

[Mark Smiles]

Perhaps the news is just catching up to what everybody else is thinking of regarding crime [[after all, the news is in the business of telling us what we want to hear):

Criminals have become so barefaced and lawless in Detroit that it needs to be brought to the head of the line of things that need to be addressed in Detroit.

Following the Utash incident for example, and including many others that have occurred in recent years people are starting to realize that criminals in Detroit can conduct their "business" unabated by police and residents alike. The safety and well being of residents, visitors and tourists is painting a bleak picture for the city and its rise from the ashes.

Yes, many other problems are in need of serious attention. Schools, economic viability, blight, lighting, etc, etc, etc...... but at this point carjackings, homicide, theft, armed robbery, rape and assault are taking their toll on the perceptions and decisions of people who would like to offer assistance and attention to this city.

What was the big deal about the Utash incident? Nothing that a couple of months probation wont solve. This is the message Detroit / Wayne county voters sent to the criminals by electing the Judges that they did. Why have people vote if they are not held responsible for their votes?

If the discussion is about making a city a safe place, the answer has to be having citizens who don't commit crimes simply because it is the right thing to do.

Those who decide to victimize others need more than a slap on the wrist. They need to be where they cant hurt others. The voters in Detroit / Wayne County, think otherwise, thus their choice in Judges.

[anonJD]

Interesting that WXYZ was the only outlet in the region to report this. God bless this young lady. Many car jacking victims this summer didn't walk away unscathed.

[iheartthed]

Interesting that WXYZ was the only outlet in the region to report this. God bless this young lady. Many car jacking victims this summer didn't walk away unscathed.

They probably witnessed it from their new glass studio.

[anonJD]

They probably witnessed it from their new glass studio.

I was thinking more along the lines of they haven't received any ad dollars this quarter from oligarchs with major interests in that area.

[Bham1982]

Interesting that WXYZ was the only outlet in the region to report this. God bless this young lady. Many car jacking victims this summer didn't walk away unscathed.

You will never see this type of article in the Freep or Detnews. Only mindless boosterism allowed.

Both are hanging on for survival and dependent on the good will/advertising support of Detroit's economic heavy hitters.

[IrishSpartan]

I wasn't around in the 70's, but I seriously doubt this was true. Downtown Detroit was never an epicenter of crime.

Yeah, the worst neighborhoods back then were more "inner city" than now, because as neighborhoods empty out, the thugs move further out, and the cycle repeats, but downtown was never one of those neighborhoods. It had very few residents.

If anything, I would guess downtown was safer back then, because you had far more pedestrian activity and streetlife.

I'm unsure whether you are aware, but downtown had some areas that were crime problems in the 1970's and before. The northwest and northeast portions of downtown in particular north of Grand Circus Park and south of the Fisher freeway were rough. Many neighborhoods 40-50 years ago were safer then almost half of downtown and just as safe as best areas of downtown. I wouldn't agree at all with the premise that Downtown has always been relatively safe compared to the city overall. I don't think that became true until about the mid-1970's. In fact, that situation occurred by default because many neighborhoods were rapidly declining.

[iheartthed]

You will never see this type of article in the Freep or Detnews. Only mindless boosterism allowed.

Both are hanging on for survival and dependent on the good will/advertising support of Detroit's economic heavy hitters.

Print publications don't run on the same cycles as broadcast media. It's not comparable at all.

[bailey]

Print publications don't run on the same cycles as broadcast media. It's not comparable at all.

Sure but, I think it'd be quite the opposite [[they'd have this all over their sites) since they now rely on clickbait stories not subscriptions to make the payroll.

I sort of have to agree there is a whiff of suppression on this as there was about zero coverage when it's such a red meat, dog whistle article that would generate clicks and comments about what a "shithole" detroit is. lock up the kids, lock up the wife, and open carry because YOU WILL BE CARJACKED outside the best building in Detroit in the heart of the Little Ceasars Playland. clickity click click.....

[anonJD]

Sure but, I think it'd be quite the opposite [[they'd have this all over their sites) since they now rely on clickbait stories not subscriptions to make the payroll.

I sort of have to agree there is a whiff of suppression on this as there was about zero coverage when it's such a red meat, dog whistle article that would generate clicks and comments about what a "shithole" detroit is. lock up the kids, lock up the wife, and open carry because YOU WILL BE CARJACKED outside the best building in Detroit in the heart of the Little Ceasars Playland. clickity click click.....

The region's oligarchs would never allow that. If this showed up on the front page of the Freep.com people would literally get fired.

[iheartthed]

Sure but, I think it'd be quite the opposite [[they'd have this all over their sites) since they now rely on clickbait stories not subscriptions to make the payroll.

I sort of have to agree there is a whiff of suppression on this as there was about zero coverage when it's such a red meat, dog whistle article that would generate clicks and comments about what a "shithole" detroit is. lock up the kids, lock up the wife, and open carry because YOU WILL BE CARJACKED outside the best building in Detroit in the heart of the Little Ceasars Playland. clickity click click.....

I still think we're confusing the nature of print versus broadcast here. The newspapers don't really print stories about random carjackings in any part of the city unless there was blood spilt, and even then there is no guarantee that it will make the paper if it happens during a busy cycle [[I would consider the past month to be a very busy cycle). Broadcasts have to dedicate a lot more of their time to space fillers, which is why they cover things that don't make it into print.

[motz]

I still think we're confusing the nature of print versus broadcast here. The newspapers don't really print stories about random carjackings in any part of the city unless there was blood spilt, and even then there is no guarantee that it will make the paper if it happens during a busy cycle [[I would consider the past month to be a very busy cycle). Broadcasts have to dedicate a lot more of their time to space fillers, which is why they cover things that don't make it into print.

Dude, it's a Gilbert-led suppression campaign that is on par with what we saw in Nazi Germany. Can't you see it?? It's RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES MAN. It's not like these types of stories almost always are relegated to Motor City Muckracker, which is not a sensationalist rag that loves to blow up stories regardless of their relevance. Headline: "CRACKS FORMING IN GILBERT'S UTOPIAN RICH WHITE PARADISE OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT: RESIDENT CAR JACKED WHILE MOVING INTO NEW BUILDING".

[corktownyuppie]

The Broderick Tower carjackers have been caught.

With the help of surveillance video, Detroit police arrested three suspects in Guerriero's carjacking. She identified the gunman in a lineup and recently testified against him and the getaway driver at a preliminary exam in Wayne County Circuit Court.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...rime/19671313/

[Honky Tonk]

The Broderick Tower carjackers have been caught.



http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...rime/19671313/

Good article, CTY, and I'm glad they were caught. Two comments I'd like to make. First off, in lower visability and financially viable areas, the perps are rarely caught, if even pursued. Secondly, you should post a copy of the article in the Detroit Insurance thread, so people have a reference when they start whining about the big, bad, insurance companies gouging and red-lining poor Detroiters. The figures quoted in the article are staggering, and that's only jackings, and not all the other auto related thefts and vandalism.

[softailrider]

Good article, CTY, and I'm glad they were caught. Two comments I'd like to make. First off, in lower visability and financially viable areas, the perps are rarely caught, if even pursued. Secondly, you should post a copy of the article in the Detroit Insurance thread, so people have a reference when they start whining about the big, bad, insurance companies gouging and red-lining poor Detroiters. The figures quoted in the article are staggering, and that's only jackings, and not all the other auto related thefts and vandalism.

What's truly staggering are the profits of the insurance companies. They're obscene. Maybe they pay out more in Detroit and other urban areas [[key word is maybe) but they have a way of making up for it.

[gvidas]

Here's an amazingly misleading map from the Free Press, showing all the carjackings reported in Detroit + an outline of Detroit.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...roit/19626977/



The copy is:

Carjackings in Detroit are dropping, due in part to tough law enforcement, but the city still had 445 carjackings through Nov. 1 – three times more than New York City. By Nov. 17, that number had grown to 485. As this map shows, no neighborhood is safe. See an interactive version with details on each carjacking.

[[emphasis added.)

This is amazingly misleading because they state that "no neighborhood [in Detroit] is safe [from carjacking]," while presenting an image which implies through arbitrary statistical focus that Hamtramck, Highland Park, and all the outer suburbs are almost 100% carjacking free.

A map without an axe to grind would show all the carjackings in the tri-county area, and discuss the relative risks of Detroit vs everybody else. In the article CTY linked to, the only comparisons between Detroit and other places were on a national level, not regional.

To make any meaningful statements about carjackings and the premium prices that Detroit residents pay for car insurance relative to the rest of SE Michigan, we need more information, presented in a manner that at least begins to be neutral.

[SyGolden48236]

Here's an amazingly misleading map from the Free Press, showing all the carjackings reported in Detroit + an outline of Detroit.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...roit/19626977/




The copy is:
[[emphasis added.)

This is amazingly misleading because they state that "no neighborhood [in Detroit] is safe [from carjacking]," while presenting an image which implies through arbitrary statistical focus that Hamtramck, Highland Park, and all the outer suburbs are almost 100% carjacking free.

A map without an axe to grind would show all the carjackings in the tri-county area, and discuss the relative risks of Detroit vs everybody else. In the article CTY linked to, the only comparisons between Detroit and other places were on a national level, not regional.

To make any meaningful statements about carjackings and the premium prices that Detroit residents pay for car insurance relative to the rest of SE Michigan, we need more information, presented in a manner that at least begins to be neutral.

There is nothing misleading about that map whatsoever. The title of the map is, indeed,
"Where Carjackings Were Reported In Detroit" not "where carjackings were reported in the tri-county area".

I don't understand your righteous indignation. The article even mentioned that the number of carjackings in Detroit has been dropping over the last few years. Nobody claimed that carjackings do not occur in the suburbs. They are just extremely rare in most cities outside of Detroit in the tri-county area. I don't recall that we have ever had a carjacking in my city.

[animatedmartian]

There seems to be a pretty gnarly concentration up in the Gratiot - 7 Mile area.

Otherwise, carjackings are pretty rare outside of the city most due to the fact that criminals are less likely to get away. Especially if the end goal is to bring the car back into the city [[for scrapping or use in another crime). A criminal would have to take the more sneaky approach and steal the car when it's unoccupied and no one's paying attention. At that point, it becomes a simple auto theft and wouldn't matter to this discussion anyway.

[Honky Tonk]

What's truly staggering are the profits of the insurance companies. They're obscene. Maybe they pay out more in Detroit and other urban areas [[key word is maybe) but they have a way of making up for it.

Yes, terrible, isn't it? And how about big oil? I can remember Exxon posting a 10 bil profit @ the height of the recession. And the utilities? Don't even get me started. The 2 points I tried to make were: a.) in this case the DPD actually made an effort, do to the high profile of the case, and b.) the frequency of occurrence cited in the Freep article. A friend was carjacked on the corner of Lafayette and Iroquois, @ 2a.m. a few years back. Luckily they only took his car and contents, nothing else. He called 911 and was told he had to come in to make a report. He explained the situation, January, 2a.m., freezing cold, snow, and was told the DPD doesn't run a taxi service. He no longer lives in Detroit either. I'm glad they caught the guys, and it's nice to see some areas are getting serviced. Hope it starts a trend.

[gvidas]

Nobody claimed that carjackings do not occur in the suburbs. They are just extremely rare in most cities outside of Detroit in the tri-county area. I don't recall that we have ever had a carjacking in my city.

Otherwise, carjackings are pretty rare outside of the city most due to the fact that criminals are less likely to get away.

My point is that the map is a misleading visual because it supports the obvious conclusion -- carjacking is extremely common in Detroit & "extremely rare" elsewhere -- without actually containing any information about the second half of that conclusion.

[SyGolden48236]

My point is that the map is a misleading visual because it supports the obvious conclusion -- carjacking is extremely common in Detroit & "extremely rare" elsewhere -- without actually containing any information about the second half of that conclusion.

How can it be misleading when even you say "it supports the obvious conclusion". We all know that carjacking is more prevalent in Detroit than elsewhere in the tri-county area.

Why don't you argue that the grass is green and the sky is blue. You do not have a valid argument to make. You are arguing just to hear your own voice.

[animatedmartian]

My point is that the map is a misleading visual because it supports the obvious conclusion -- carjacking is extremely common in Detroit & "extremely rare" elsewhere -- without actually containing any information about the second half of that conclusion.

So then it's not the map that's misleading but rather a lack of peripheral information. But either way, the information is purely peripheral and has little to do what the subject matter is focused on which is declining carjacking rates within the city.

[mikeg19]

While I don't believe that the map is misleading [[afterall, it does say Detroit carjackings, not tri county) the article is misleading. Touting a drop in crime, carjackings, etc is nice, but I don't want it trumpeted as some marvel of exceptional policework [[no offense to those who are actually solving crimes). Of course the carjacking rate has gone down. The city has lost so many people, there are simply less people around to actually carjack. The sad part is, even through the huge loss of population, we STILL have more carjackings than NYC. That's the stat to focus on.

[Spartan]

Of course the carjacking rate has gone down. The city has lost so many people, there are simply less people around to actually carjack.

This is silly logic. Carjacking is down 31% YOY and has been cut in half over 5 years. Population is not dropping that fast [[13% over 5 years, according to the article). This is still a huge improvement. We're not going to completely solve the crime problem in the city over one year. You're right that there is still a long way to go, though.

[corktownyuppie]

Of course the carjacking rate has gone down. The city has lost so many people, there are simply less people around to actually carjack. The sad part is, even through the huge loss of population, we STILL have more carjackings than NYC. That's the stat to focus on.

C'mon, that math doesn't even seem close.

Carjackings down by 31% in the last year. We've lost residents, but we sure didn't lose 200,000 residents in the last 12 months.

Also, while I'm in favor of comparing lots of stats to NYC, carjacking is probably the least appropriate. There are 8 million people in NYC, how many of them even own a car, let alone drive it regularly through the city?

Your point is a fundamentally sound...that there are far too many. I think at this point, we're not looking to make the "Bottom 10" list in carjackings. Let's just start by making steady and sustainable process.

We've gone from 1231 carjackings 6 years ago, down to approximately 500 this year. That's a reduction of more than half. And I know we didn't lose 600,000 residents in the last 6 years.

If we can just drop by 20% per year, we'll cut the number in half over 3 years. To go from 1231 down to 250 in a decade? That will be a huge win for us.