I woke up this morning to the sound of someone trying to break into my house. After a quick check out the window, I heard my front door open.
Great!!!!! Someone was in my house.
Now what? What do you do when you know someone is downstairs, in your home?
My husband grabbed the bat and headed down the stairs, and I called the Police.
...
...
...
I guess we scared them off. It seems they broke in at the back of the house. They broke the PVC window, cracked the window right out of it's frame, and entered the house. The noise I made scared them out the front door. But that does not change the fact that they were in our house.
...
...
...
We spent half the night with the police. The helicopter had a look around. The K9 unit dropped by to check out the scene. And it doesn't change the fact that someone was in our house.
...
...
...
How do you shake that feeling. You know the one. The feeling that you have been violated. The feeling that someone can just break a PVC window that was locked in place and enter your house. What do you have to do to ensure you are safe in your own home? Do you have to put bars on all the windows? Is locking the doors and windows not enough to keep these assholes out of your house? What gaul! They think they can just bust into any old house they feel like! I just fixed that window from the last incident. Now I have to lay out another couple hundred to fix the window again.
And now my husband and I both have bats beside the bed. Well, he has a bat and I have an axe handle. And they are right beside the bed. His within reach on his side of the bed, and mine within reach on my side.
We aren't sleeping tonight. Not after someone was in our house.
...
...
...
Not after someone was in our house.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Anyone Got Marshmallows?
The siren stopped. That means something was happening pretty close by. I looked out the window and saw red lights flashing at the end of the street in the back lane. My first thought was that there was a fire again in the yard at the end of the street. There have been so many fires on my block and the surrounding area this summer, I can't even keep track anymore. I got my shoes on, and grabbed a jacket.
As I went to the side of the house I saw the lights of the fire truck directly behind my house. By the time I got to the back lane the fire was out. The fire men had extinguished a fire in the dumpster two doors down. That was the second time this summer that particular dumpster was in flames.
The neighbour who discovered the fire saw that the dumpster was up against a garage. He pushed it away from the garage with his truck and called 911.
The fire truck that arrived used a special hose, located at the front of the rig. It sprays foam and is used to extinguish dumpster fires. One of the firemen made a comment that he will be glad when the dumpsters are gone. He feels there will be less fires at that time. I am not so sure on that one. At least these fires are contained in metal dumpsters. I hate to think what the little fire bugs will light up once the dumpsters are gone. In Crescentwood they light recycle boxes, garages and misc items in peoples yards. At least we have self contained 'fire boxes' here for the little arsonists to play with.
After the fire was out, and the truck left, a utility van showed up in the lane. There was a worker in the bucket inspecting the lines in the area of the fire. The guy had a flashlight shined on the line as the driver slowly moved down the lane. I don't know if someone complained about their phone or tv being out, or if the utility company was just checking the new lines they had just strung in our lane.
We all seem to know what to do when we have a fire here. Push the dumpster out of the way, call the fire department, have them extinguish the fire, get the utility company out to check the lines. Reset, and wait for the next fire to start.
As I went to the side of the house I saw the lights of the fire truck directly behind my house. By the time I got to the back lane the fire was out. The fire men had extinguished a fire in the dumpster two doors down. That was the second time this summer that particular dumpster was in flames.
The neighbour who discovered the fire saw that the dumpster was up against a garage. He pushed it away from the garage with his truck and called 911.
The fire truck that arrived used a special hose, located at the front of the rig. It sprays foam and is used to extinguish dumpster fires. One of the firemen made a comment that he will be glad when the dumpsters are gone. He feels there will be less fires at that time. I am not so sure on that one. At least these fires are contained in metal dumpsters. I hate to think what the little fire bugs will light up once the dumpsters are gone. In Crescentwood they light recycle boxes, garages and misc items in peoples yards. At least we have self contained 'fire boxes' here for the little arsonists to play with.
After the fire was out, and the truck left, a utility van showed up in the lane. There was a worker in the bucket inspecting the lines in the area of the fire. The guy had a flashlight shined on the line as the driver slowly moved down the lane. I don't know if someone complained about their phone or tv being out, or if the utility company was just checking the new lines they had just strung in our lane.
We all seem to know what to do when we have a fire here. Push the dumpster out of the way, call the fire department, have them extinguish the fire, get the utility company out to check the lines. Reset, and wait for the next fire to start.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere
Last night was Halloween. My husband and I spent a few evening hours handing out candy to local ghosts, monkeys, and pumpkins. The streets were not crowded with costumed kiddies, but there was a fairly steady stream. The kids were happily running and skipping down the street, collecting loot from a handful of houses. There were a lot of kids with parents, people trick or treating in packs, a group of teen age girls with a father in tow, and an older brother watching over his costumed sister.
Between the ghosts and goblins, we socialized with the neighbours. The street had a friendly and fun feel to it. It was halloween, and everyone was out to enjoy the evening.
I remember last halloween, we picked up treats to hand out and we also took treats to the Friendship Center. We were not sure how many kids would come to the house, but wanted to have something for the kids that were out trick or treating on our block. Last year, halloween came on the heels of a triple shooting that left two people dead. And last year, we were told the shootings were random, unrelated events. That is what shook us the most, that the shootings could have happened to random, untargetted individuals. It shook us because it could just as easily have been us.
This year, we had the same sort of incidents. We had two murders, another gun shot and a few stabbings the weekend before halloween. They were spread throughout the weekend and throughout the City.
We learned only recently that last years shootings had gang connections, and this morning we learn that the two homicides had gang ties, as well as the third gun shot. Further to that, most of the violent incidents happen in the wee hours of the morning.
I find it odd that so many people would bring so much fear to the event of trick or treating. This event happens in the early evening. It brings home owners to their doors and on their streets. It crowds the streets with kids and parents. No gang banger is going to try something when the streets have that many eyes.
Now that we know the random triple shooting of last year has actual gang ties to it, it becomes just another tragic story in the lives of gang members, and it takes away the threat that it could happen to the law abiding citizens of the City. I wonder how long the WPS knew about the gang ties. And I wonder why it took a full year to let us know the gang connections. And did they know about the gang connections in this last weekend's violence prior to last evenings trick or treating events? That may have eased a bit of tension in going out for an evening of fun with the little goblins.
Last night was for the kids, the ghosts and goblins, and the monkey and pumpkin that come to my door.
Between the ghosts and goblins, we socialized with the neighbours. The street had a friendly and fun feel to it. It was halloween, and everyone was out to enjoy the evening.
I remember last halloween, we picked up treats to hand out and we also took treats to the Friendship Center. We were not sure how many kids would come to the house, but wanted to have something for the kids that were out trick or treating on our block. Last year, halloween came on the heels of a triple shooting that left two people dead. And last year, we were told the shootings were random, unrelated events. That is what shook us the most, that the shootings could have happened to random, untargetted individuals. It shook us because it could just as easily have been us.
This year, we had the same sort of incidents. We had two murders, another gun shot and a few stabbings the weekend before halloween. They were spread throughout the weekend and throughout the City.
We learned only recently that last years shootings had gang connections, and this morning we learn that the two homicides had gang ties, as well as the third gun shot. Further to that, most of the violent incidents happen in the wee hours of the morning.
I find it odd that so many people would bring so much fear to the event of trick or treating. This event happens in the early evening. It brings home owners to their doors and on their streets. It crowds the streets with kids and parents. No gang banger is going to try something when the streets have that many eyes.
Now that we know the random triple shooting of last year has actual gang ties to it, it becomes just another tragic story in the lives of gang members, and it takes away the threat that it could happen to the law abiding citizens of the City. I wonder how long the WPS knew about the gang ties. And I wonder why it took a full year to let us know the gang connections. And did they know about the gang connections in this last weekend's violence prior to last evenings trick or treating events? That may have eased a bit of tension in going out for an evening of fun with the little goblins.
Last night was for the kids, the ghosts and goblins, and the monkey and pumpkin that come to my door.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Crime Stat vrs Police Releases
The topic of crimes being reported in Winnipeg keeps coming up. In the latest blog post from Policing, Politics and Public Policy Menno Zacharias compares crimes reported in the Police Releases to the ones listed on the CrimeStat database on the City of Winnipeg Police website. He compares the month of September, 2011 which shows 787 items listed in CrimeStat with the Police Reports that list only 10 of those crimes.
Brian Kelsey at the State of the City blog has been blogging about the safety of the downtown, and the way crimes are being reported, and not reported. He mentioned three specific crime categories that are omitted from the CrimeStat database; those being stabbings, assaults, and arsons.
Well, today I had a look at just one day, October 28, 2011. I received 4 emails Oct 28 and 1 email on Oct 29 from the Winnipeg Police Service regarding that day. They are as follows:
It is possible that the gun shot icon will appear in the next few days, as the report appeared on Saturday in my email. But how do you explain police reports listing a stabbing at Main and Stella and the CrimeStat listing a non-commercial robbery? Are all stabbings down graded to show as robberies or other lesser crimes? Or does CrimeStat just feel the theft of personal property is a far more interesting statistic than the stabbing of a human being?
What is the actual purpose of the CrimeStat map on the WPS website? Is it to arm citizens with valuable information on crimes being committed throughout Winnipeg? Or is it designed to create illusions of Winnipeg as City Hall sees fit? How many crimes have been downgraded from their original Police Report listing to show as minor issues on the CrimeStat map.
I, for one, would like to know who makes the decisions on the categories listed on CrimeStat. And further to that, I want to know who decides which category icon will be used to report specific crimes.
Start listing stabbings, arsons and assaults on CrimeStat map. Lets have a look at the crimes actually happening in Winnipeg for a change. List them, or tell us why they have been excluded.
Brian Kelsey at the State of the City blog has been blogging about the safety of the downtown, and the way crimes are being reported, and not reported. He mentioned three specific crime categories that are omitted from the CrimeStat database; those being stabbings, assaults, and arsons.
Well, today I had a look at just one day, October 28, 2011. I received 4 emails Oct 28 and 1 email on Oct 29 from the Winnipeg Police Service regarding that day. They are as follows:
- Public Advisor - 9:05am - Notice that there will be a procession going down Portage Ave protesting the CWB activities.
- News Release - 11:05am - Halloween Safety Tips
- News Release - 11:40am - Stabbing 2:00am (C11-226798) female robbed at Main & Stella, Commercial Robbery 2:00am (C11-226796) 400 block of Edison Ave
- News Release - 3:05pm - Male Wanted (R11-88976) for theft and fraud investigation
- News Release - Oct 29 11:02am - Commercial Robbert 5:00am (C11-226866) 800 block of Ellice Ave, police located male w/ gun shot wound transported to hospital in critical condition, later upgraded to stable.
What is the actual purpose of the CrimeStat map on the WPS website? Is it to arm citizens with valuable information on crimes being committed throughout Winnipeg? Or is it designed to create illusions of Winnipeg as City Hall sees fit? How many crimes have been downgraded from their original Police Report listing to show as minor issues on the CrimeStat map.
I, for one, would like to know who makes the decisions on the categories listed on CrimeStat. And further to that, I want to know who decides which category icon will be used to report specific crimes.
Start listing stabbings, arsons and assaults on CrimeStat map. Lets have a look at the crimes actually happening in Winnipeg for a change. List them, or tell us why they have been excluded.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)