Were You a Victim of a Metro Detroit Crime during 2011?

If so, what happened?

In August I awoke to find my two week old 2012 Ford Explorer sitting on blocks in my “secure” parking lot [[Broadway and Grand River). I now park in the VIP section of the Opera House – totally gated, 24-hour guard - it costs a little more, but it’s worth it! BTW [[outside of the city) - last Wednesday someone got a hold of my debit card number and spent $1000 at the Meijer store in Sterling Heights – I’m now waiting for Dearborn Federal Credit Union to finish their investigation.

Let's see...I parked on the street in Royal Oak in February '11 and had my passenger side window broken out and my glove box and center console rummaged through, but nothing was missing.

In October, my boarder had his debit card number stolen somehow and ended up with nearly $1,500 stolen from his account through purchases made at a White Lake K-mart and another store in Howell.

Also, over the summer my girlfriend's car was broken into and rummaged through at her apartment complex in Waterford; again, nothing taken.

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Originally Posted by Eric_c

Let's see...I parked on the street in Royal Oak in February '11 and had my passenger side window broken out and my glove box and center console rummaged through, but nothing was missing.

In October, my boarder had his debit card number stolen somehow and ended up with nearly $1,500 stolen from his account through purchases made at a White Lake K-mart and another store in Howell.

Also, over the summer my girlfriend's car was broken into and rummaged through at her apartment complex in Waterford; again, nothing taken.

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Thank you for pointing out that crimes don't just happen in Detroit.

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Originally Posted by MidTownMs

Thank you for pointing out that crimes don't just happen in Detroit.

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Well, I did have my garden hose stolen once, but then another one - a different one - mysteriously showed up a few days later attached to the faucet and hung up just like the old one!

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Originally Posted by MidTownMs

Thank you for pointing out that crimes don't just happen in Detroit.

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Doesn't the title of the thread cover that?

Although not in metro Detroit, I was at a McDonald's drive thru in suburban Denver this past year while a lunchtime armed robbery was going on inside. I rescued the drive thru crew after I saw them running in the open across the parking lot and got a free McChicken sandwich.

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Originally Posted by bartock

Doesn't the title of the thread cover that?

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Thread title has been edited since then.

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Originally Posted by Eric_c

Well, I did have my garden hose stolen once, but then another one - a different one - mysteriously showed up a few days later attached to the faucet and hung up just like the old one!

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Though this began in 2010, I had a similar story. In November 2010, I had my old white Wii stolen from my home, but mysteriously, one year later, this past November, a black Wii showed up at my home near where my old one was!

Then this past May, one of my colleagues [[who lives in Florida) came to Metro Detroit and stayed at the Super 8 near I-75 and Eureka in Taylor. One night, his debit card was stolen and spent on purchases at a nearby Home Depot, as well as a few stores at Southland and the nearby Meijer, as well as the Southgate Kmart, Lowe's and Meijer and the Best Buy on "the Hill" [[aka Fairlane Green).

I had my credit card number stolen and someone tried to buy some gas in Texas with it. Other than that, I've been very fortunate.

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Originally Posted by Pam

Thread title has been edited since then.

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That makes sense, then.

In my entire 31 years of living in metro Detroit, with over 100x visiting Detroit, i have not been a victim of any crime, with one exception, identity theft.

A few things here – first I started the tread with the intention of focusing on Detroit proper, not Metro Detroit; however, it appears that the original title was changed by someone else, presumably by the moderator of this site – I’m OK with that, it’s your board and I enjoy reading all of the posts and occasionally being a part of the conversations. Admittedly, in my original post I did include a reference to a recent crime that took place in Sterling Heights, so I guess I’m guilty of opening the door for a discussion about the entire metro area. I only added that note about my Sterling Heights experience because it just happened last week and I’m still a little pissed-off about the whole thing. The bottom line is that I was originally interested in hearing stories about Detroit proper. As for crimes across Metro Detroit...I realize that crimes happen everywhere, I’m not THAT naive. That said, I’m also not naive to the fact that Detroit generally suffers from a higher rate of crime compared to the surrounding. I’ve lived in the city or the suburbs of Detroit my entire life. This is my third stint living in the city, and yeah, I guess I’d probably be considered one of those “Yuppie” types that live Downtown [[well I’m 41 so maybe I’m an Ouppie - lol), but I’ve also lived in other Detroit neighborhoods [[Warrendale and SW-Vernor and Junction area), for several years and at various times in my life. I’ll save my residential saga for another time and thread. If the original thread title offends anyone then I’m sorry – crimes outside of the city are just as interesting [[and hurtful) as the ones that occur in the city – so have at it…Were You a Victim of a Metro Detroit Crime during 2011?

I know you are referring to personal experiences but in some ways everyone is a victim because the indirect costs of crime are enormous. Just think about the increase costs due to security, changing of living habits out of fear, loss of services because revenue is stolen by city officials and their associates, costs of incarceration that could be used for education, etc., etc.

Other than having some low value items stolen out of my vehicle, I've never been a victim of a serious crime in Detroit or it's suburbs. I've had my credit card number stolen a few times, but it was always used oversees, so I'm assuming it was somehow hacked online.

My wallet was left behind at the first aid station in Comerica Park during ALCS Game 4 [[October 12?). It was returned less all of the cash I had in it.

My iPhone 3GS was stolen at the Walgreens at the corner of 12 and Greenfield. [[Is that Oak Park?) It was October 27.

In both cases, I believe the crimes were committed by employees. No fans or customers were really around in either scenario.

The only crime perpetrated against me in 2011 in Detroit was by the gang squad. Go figure.

yep. to the tune of $2,300.00 just for the priviledge of driving 1/4 mile south of 8 mile...

after i get my return filed, ill be lucky to see any refund this year. im still waiting on refunds from 2003, 2005 and 2009...

Had my credit card number stolen in june. They first bought dinner at a Taco Bell in Minneapolis, which went through. Then tried to spend 200$ at a walmart but was foiled by the high balance I had at the time. The ineteresting part was they then thought that since 200$ didn't work at Walmart maybe 2000$ at an Apple Store would. Either way the credit card company refunded the 12.57 spent at Taco Bell.

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Originally Posted by buzzman0077

Had my credit card number stolen in june. They first bought dinner at a Taco Bell in Minneapolis, which went through.

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Your card number was obtained in Detroit and somebody used it in Minneapolis?

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Originally Posted by Ltdave

yep. to the tune of $2,300.00 just for the priviledge of driving 1/4 mile south of 8 mile...

after i get my return filed, ill be lucky to see any refund this year. im still waiting on refunds from 2003, 2005 and 2009...

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You're free to look for another job in another city if this horrible crime is putting you and yours out on the street. Of course if you paid $2,300 for non-resident income tax it would mean you are pulling in $184,000/yr [[assuming all your time is working in the city).

If that's the case I doubt there will be a lot of sympathy for you.

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Originally Posted by xphillipjrx

Your card number was obtained in Detroit and somebody used it in Minneapolis?

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This happened to me when I moved back from Charlotte. I used my card to rent a U-Haul truck, used the same card the whole way up. By the time I turned my truck in at 7 and Livernois, my card was declined. I called BofA. My card had been used at the same time in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. It was all Walmart and gas stations.

Anyone who has paid taxes in the city of Detroit, or the state of Michigan, in the last 30 years has been a repeated victim of crime.

There is a long line of Synagro's, Furgesons, Parks and Conyers using the Detroit handshake- palm up greasy fingers extended.

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Originally Posted by jt1

You're free to look for another job in another city if this horrible crime is putting you and yours out on the street. Of course if you paid $2,300 for non-resident income tax it would mean you are pulling in $184,000/yr [[assuming all your time is working in the city).

If that's the case I doubt there will be a lot of sympathy for you.

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wasnt asking for any sympathy. if the taxes were being used towards something other than just the same ol' same ol' BULLSHIT, it would be one thing, but the lights on the street dont work, the traffic light in front of the plant doesnt work properly, the road is pockmarked with pot holes nearly the entire 1/4 mile.and weve had thugs cut the fence and get in the plant with NO POLICE response...

but no, i did NOT gross $184,000 [[i didnt net it either) and again, im not looking for any sympathy from you or anyone else...

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Originally Posted by English

My wallet was left behind at the first aid station in Comerica Park during ALCS Game 4 [[October 12?). It was returned less all of the cash I had in it.

My iPhone 3GS was stolen at the Walgreens at the corner of 12 and Greenfield. [[Is that Oak Park?) It was October 27.

In both cases, I believe the crimes were committed by employees. No fans or customers were really around in either scenario.

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Re: ALCS Game 4, were you OK?

Yes. The morning of the 4th of July riding my bicycle on Michigan Avenue near Central I turned around in a parking lot when a male with a t-shirt pulled up over his face came at me. At the same time two others went for my head. It couldn't have taken long before they had me to the ground yelling to empty my pockets - they got $5 - I got a concussion 9 hours in the Henry Ford ER and numerous bruises. They did not take my bicycle but did steal one of the saddle bags in which they got work papers of interest to no one but me.

Hell of a way to spend a holiday ... or any day.