Crime, Education in Berwyn.

[Ana]

Argh!!!! A carjacking to go along with our little garage break-in this week.  Did I say the natives are restless?  A neighbor on the corner of 37th and Wesley was getting into her car when a white male pulled her out by her sweater and took off with her purse and her car.  A motorcyclist witnessed the incident and went after the car.  There were other witnesses also.  I don't know if he was caught or not, but this incident really worries me.  What do we do now?  How do we prevent this from happening again.  Do we weather the storm? or bail?  Three children and a 65 yo mom live with me.  How do we protect them?  

[hvychev]

$hit......

Art don't run. We have to take a stand. This is OUR neighborhood!

I was just telling my wife tonight about that house on 30th and Maple that was for sale for 499K. I heard that the house was under contract within 2 days. Every house that goes up for sale might be a good thing cause they are going for so much that only people with money are going to be able to afford them. This might push some of the bad element out of town.

One more suggestion. This might not sit well with some people here but I would invest in a hand gun. It is our constitutional right to protect our family and property.

[Ana]

I really hate guns, but trust me, the thought crossed my mind.    We aren't running, at least not right now.  I also just emailed Nona to let her know what happened. I figure, if this is happening in her ward then she should be aware.  I also asked for suggestions on how to keep this from happening again.    I just hate the feeling that you can't go to your car in the middle of the night to get something that you may have forgotten or you can't be outside without having to look over your shoulder.  BTW, I did see the home that was for sale for $499000.  I thought it was still on the market.  Your news is good news.

[hvychev]

I was at my Barbers this afternoon and he told me he cuts the hair of the father of the seller. He is supposedly an Attorney and CPA. He said the house sold in 2 days. Needless to say I was shocked.

[Ana]

Just out of curiousity, did he tell you why he sold?  I mean an attorney/cpa is someone we'd like to keep in town.

[jqpublic]

There is so much late night foot traffic in my alley that I carry pepper spray with me just to let the dog out or to throw out the garbage.

Big fun.

[Ana]

You know, this stuff goes on every day in the City even in the best neighborhoods.  I just resent the fact that it is now happening in MY neighborhood.  jq where do you live?

[jqpublic]

I'm just off 26th and Clinton, home of the beautiful Clinton Ave. Speedway.

Case in point: It's 11:45 at night and the local thugs are playing basketball across the alley from a guy who has called the cops on them four times in the past two weeks. He has given up on calling the cops.

[hvychev]

Art he did not say why the guy moved. All that I can say is that he was smart to have the Ball$ to ask that type of cake for his house.

jqpublic I would have to say that I bet my alley sees more foot traffic than almost any in Berwyn. I live on 21st & Euclid and behind my building towers the 100 unit apartment complex on 21st & Oak Park! Oh and by the way......the apts have rear enterances! Sometimes it is almost to much for even me to bare.

[jqpublic]

I just let my dog out and the midnight basketball game is STILL going strong at 12:45. The seniors at that end of the block are intimidated and the people who do bother to call the cops have given up out of disgust. No police patrols whatsoever.

Here's a little something for our new city government to consider. Every park and playground in the city has a closing time. How about extending the same courtesy to the neighborhoods?  Like knock off the basketball at 9-10 pm. It's no less aggravating than a barking dog or loud music.

[jqpublic]

jqpublic I would have to say that I bet my alley sees more foot traffic than almost any in Berwyn. I live on 21st & Euclid

I know that area well, I used to bartend at a long ago defunct bar in that vicinity. I must say that you have me beat in the alley derby, hands down.

[piniped]

Art,
Don't hate guns.  Guns are a tool, and like any other tool can be used for good or bad purposes.  What can be a more moral use of a tool in a free society than using it to take responsibility for defending yourself and your loved ones?

[Suedehead]

I was just telling my wife tonight about that house on 30th and Maple that was for sale for 499K. I heard that the house was under contract within 2 days. Every house that goes up for sale might be a good thing cause they are going for so much that only people with money are going to be able to afford them. This might push some of the bad element out of town.

That house didn't sell, the contract fell through, it's still on the market; i had a friend check the MLS.

[josephinet3]

Guns are not tools.  They are weapons.

[markberwyn]

More to the point, I'm not seeing how a handgun would have been helpful in a carjacking or a garage break-in that happened when the owner's not around.

[piniped]

Call them what you want.  The point is they are inanimate objects that can be used for either good or bad purposes.  In the right hands they can be a very valuable tool.  I believe it is irresponsible to not take responsibility for defending oneself & one's loved ones .  A gun can be a very useful tool for that purpose.

[Face Reality]

I use to like to read your posts markberwyn.  Now, it seems that you ALWAYS disagree with everyone on anything and everything.  Why do you feel the need to have everything and anything proven to you?  We are ALL entitled to our beliefs and/or opinions.

[Robert Pauly]

I heard that Mr. 499 is selling because he just bought his dream home in Riverside.

[Ana]

Riverside is beautiful, but so full of snobs.  A woman I know that used to live in Berwyn moved to Riverside.  While she was in Berwyn she was nice as can be, once she moved to Riverside, she barely speaks to me.  She owns a very small 2 bedroom frame ranch-style home.  Does she have any reason to be a snob, no.  I am not saying they are all like that, but most are, unfortunately.  Of course, if I could afford a home like mine in Riverside, I would move also.  I like that sense of community amongst your peers that for some reason is lacking in Berwyn. 

Mark, they tried to break into my garage at 4:30 a.m.  We were home and were awakened by our security alarm.  I don't know if a handgun would have been helpful, but believe you me, that my husband would not have run to the window to look outside if he had a gun.  He would have chased him down the alley. 

I don't believe a handgun would have helped the sixty year old woman who's purse was stolen, but maybe a can of maze would have.

[ruffian]

It's obvious that after 5/10 (swearing in date) ... crime/gangs/more police with a plan of attack should be first and foremost on the agenda for the first year.  Until we make progress on crime/gangs ... we can't even think about anything else.  Second in line is schools.  Third development.

JQ?  An ordinance should be put in place that there is no basketball at any residence after 7:00 p.m.  JQ I got the same thing behind me.  In my case, its not thugs but teens that play well after MIDNIGHT !!!!  I haven't called police yet because the weather has not really been where you keep the windows open at night.  But that weather is coming.

I have a friend that advises that people on their block cannot even go into the alley to park their car in the garage (which is what we want, isn't it?) because they drag the basketball apparatus out there.  No one can go down the alley when they are out there, and they stay there for HOURS.  So, since people are not considerate .... you nip that in the bud by putting a curfew on it ... 7:00 p.m. is good by me.  I'm in work all day and therefore, they have after school till 7:00 p.m., or they will have all day till 7:00 p.m., once school is out, to play their little hearts out.  When I come home, last thing I want to hear is a ball or BALLS POUNDING THE PAVEMENT for hours on end.  I think all day and then to 7:00 p.m. with DAD is plenty.  $100 fine for breaking the curfew.  Stated directly, this basketball thing is just a ruse to congregate.  Residential areas should be kept RESIDENTIAL for people to enjoy their home.  You want RECREATION?  ... go to the damn park or playground.  The more we cut down the reasons to congregate ... the less problems we have.

Our Park District may need to add some basketball courts to accommodate.  The days of Ozzie/Harriet and the boys enjoying a little B ball while respecting the peace and tranquility of their neighbors is OVER.

Art, its obvious the punks are targeting the elderly.  There's been so many now.  We need cops .... lot's of em ... If you know someone is elderly (65 is still pretty young, but no spring chicken), let them call a neighbor to say, I'm going out to my car, can you come out with me?  Thugs like that are less likely to engage two people ... they just look for the lone vulnerable.  Ladies should not go out and about in the neighborhood with a purse.  You go to the men's section at Penny's or whatever and pick up light jacket.  Men's jackets typically have pockets on the inside.  Too hot for even light jacket ?, buy shorts with pockets that zipper or has buttons ... or cargo pants.  Stop carrying a purse.  It's so easy for them to steal it.  They just want to hit and RUN.  If you follow these tips you'll be less likely to be a target.  I try to tell the elderly female neighbors .... STOP carrying that damn purse !!!  A woman who was recently reported in the Berwyn Life for being pushed to the ground and purse stolen, now has taken my advise and does not carry a purse anymore.

Neighbors should try to keep blinds open ... not closed, let people see that you are looking out the windows.  Closed means your not watching ... open means you ARE.  Windows surround my home .. I keep certain amount of lights on ... and people can see me visably moving around.  Several of my across the street neighbors do the same thing.  I watch them ... they watch me.

Sure would like to hear more from the IVB and their ideas concerning crime and gangs in Berwyn.  I hope it will come soon after 5/10 after they can get up with their interim Police Chief.  I hope the idea of "interim" won't interfer with getting the job done.  Obviously, we are never going to be a City without crime, but we need to get some ordinances on the books that will curtail activity.

Regarding schools, the first thing that needs to be done, is stop the insanity with the clothing.  I see these Gothics go by and just shake my head.  Let's give these kids a wake up call and institute a dress code.  No more of this "I got my rights to be an individual and dress any way I like".  We're not teaching them anything.  They will NOT be able to dress the way they like when they go to a job.  They will have plenty of time to dress the way they want when and IF they go to college.  The young years are the foundation years.  Beyond these ridiculous Halloween looking Gothics ... let's get rid of the dark hooded sweatshirts.  The hood is only meant to disguise who they are.  No extreme hair cuts of any type.  No males wearing makeup.  No femals with bellybuttons or other extreme suggestive clothing.  Is wanting them to look like young ladies and gentlemen wrong?  Pride in personal appearance is paramount ... and goodness knows we don't want kids knocked over the head for gym shoes and jackets.  Clothing should be comfortable and neat in appearance.

Oh I could go on and on ..... it's all common sense ... how did things get away from us so fast?