Sunday, September 6, 2009

A surge?

It appears that crime in East Boston has surged in the past few months. I've come across an increasing number of reports of robberies and assaults in the neighborhood, usually after dark. Browsing through the Universal Hub blog there were these back-to-back posts yesterday: "Thugs driving around East Boston, looking for people to mug" and "Little kid watches parents held up at gunpoint in East Boston." Both incidents were reported here at the District A-7 web site.

Now, to be fair, such an assessment -- that crime has surged -- can be skewed by several things, including that more information is available on the Internet more quickly today than ever before, therefore, I am able to read the police report more easily than in the past. In the grand scheme of things, urban crime across the country is down in the past 20 years AND East Boston has always been one of the city's safer neighborhoods.

Still, it's something to be aware of. I've never before felt like there was any part of Eastie that I could not walk through at any time of day (keeping in mind, of course, that I am a stocky male, though -- despite the mean look of the shaved head and goatee -- not a tough guy by any stretch), but now I think I'd probably be a bit leery about walking around Eagle Hill, where most of the crimes seem to be clustered, late at night.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jim,

Looks like the guy who was robber with wife and child was a planned 'hit'. A few days earlier on August 29, 3 Hispanic men burst into someone's apartment at 129 Falcon St. with a gun and said 'we have the wrong guy' then fled. Now, on Sept. 2 (two or three days later) 3 Hispanic males with a gun were back at the same location just next door (131 Falcon St.) robbing the other guy.

Anonymous said...

Face it folks Eastie is fast beginning to see the same crimes all of Bostons worst crime neighborhoods see everyday.

Our police are ineffective to say the least.

Two Friday nights ago we called 911 4 times as well as other neighbors about an out of control loud drinking party in a empty forclosed house in Eagle Hill.

Most looked about 16 to 19 years old.

Wewatched from the window as they would not even get out ,and go in the back yard.

Just blue lights,and loud speaker to turn down the volume.
After the party ended at 2 a.m. they then were outside and about 20 started yelling hey you neighbors you sk,and vandalized cars.
So get ready,as its only going to get worse.
Only 1 block away a guy was murdered in his house cutting his throat,and that was about one month ago,then C.V.S.robbed at 230 p.m.etc,etc,etc,etc,!

I wish Claibourne,and OcConnor were back !
A Victim

Anonymous said...

Nice neighborhood, what will i tell my relatives when they arrive here next week from canada, be carefull walking down the street, i blame the elected officials who are in charge of keeping the eastie public safe, unfortunately they are not doing their jobs- this is why i'm not voting for mayor menino, im not feeling safe in my own neighborhood, if i lived in a tony section of hyde park or west roxbury maybe just maybe i can walk down a street 2 in the morning, without looking over my shoulder worrying about if a machete attacking illegal might be in the vicinity-

Anonymous said...

I agree that the increase in violent crime is troubling, but all the blame can’t fall on the BPD. What do you expect when groups like NOAH and EBCDC continue to build affordable housing in a neighborhood that is already overwhelmingly affordable? Also, the BPD has their hands tied and cannot even enforce existing immigration laws. Let’s be honest about who is committing these crimes – it’s not the people on Webster Street and Porter 156. In the meantime, continue to call the police when you see crime – they may take a while to respond, but they’ll never come if you don’t call.