Shots Fired

 Been a surprisingly busy week for criminals. Not only did we have a couple of break ins in the 500 block of East Main and the 900 Block of West Main but  on the 23rd there were shots fired at two different times on West College. No suspects currently in either case.

Meet the Chiefs

 You can meet the candidates for Carbondale's next police chief this afternoon from 3;30 to 5 p.m. at the Carbondale Police Department. Not sure if I should read anything into it but I notice none of the press releases about the candidates have mentioned their names or qualifications.

I would like to hear how each candidate would approach Carbondale's abnormally high crime rate. For years I have though concerns about crime in Carbondale were overblown but with the per capita rate now exceeding that of Chicago, some action needs to be taken.  

New City Council Members

The city council welcomed three new city council members this week. While things like the new entertainment complex and train station are cool, I really hope their focus is on repairing a number of the side streets and reducing the level of crime in the city.  When you compare the two, per capita, Chicago is safer than Carbondale.

Crime Rates

 According to this, several members of Carbondale city government visited Rockford Illinois to discuss how that city has handled its domestic and community violence. Rockford has one of the highest crime rates per capita in the US with only 4% of cities having a higher one.  It also has the highest rate of auto theft in the US and 180 crimes per square mile, compared to the national average of 39.

Carbondale's crime rate, while significantly lower than Rockford's is still noticeably higher than the median for Illinois.

Student Arrested

 It didn't take long for an SIUC student to get arrested on campus, less than a day after move in started. Apparently, said student took a liking to another student's bicycle and, not understanding the concept of personal property, decided to appropriate it. The original owner took umbrage at this and, when confronted, the first student decided discretion was the better part of valor and decided to flee

Appears they were not very practiced at the whole fleeing business as the police caught and arrested them quite handily. No other major problems, so far as I have heard.

Break-In Arrest

 Break in  to a business in the 400 block of North Illinois last Saturday night. Burglar tripped an alarm and police found him still on the premises when they arrived.. Maybe it was a silent alarm becasue if I was engaged in extralegal activity in a building and an alarm started blaring, I would not stay around waiting for the police to arrive.

Mail Fraud

 I read in the news that theft of mailbox master keys are on the rise throughout the nation. According to this press release, a group of four men stole a master key and were using it to open collection boxes throughout the city. Primarily they stole checks, likely governmental, altered them and deposited them into their own accounts.

Vandal Arrested

 41 year old Dustin Randolph of Marion was arrested today in Carterville on charges of vandalizing several law firms in Carbondale the last week of June.

Randolph was charged with throwing rocks and chunks of concrete through the windows of 4 different law firms and a retail business between June 27 and June 30.

Shots

 Gun shots exchanged late Sunday night by stupid young men in the 700 block of South Illinois. Bullets shattered windows in at least two cars parked in the lot and another bullet broke a window in the Evolve Apartments across the street.  No one was injured, thank goodness.

Methodist Church Parking Lot

 I have noticed the Methodist Church at the corner of Main and Univeristy has taken to chaining off the entrances to its parking lot most Friday and Saturday nights. I figure they do not want a repeat of the shooting incident that took place last June when 200+ people gathered in the lot late Saturday night  and two people wound up shot. Carbondale Police still have a camera installed at the intersection focused on the lot and the church also has security cameras installed.

Suspect arrested

 Carbondale police announced they  have arrested the primary suspect in an unprovoked attack that took place Sunday night in the Wal-mart parking lot. From what I have heard, the suspect struck a woman in the parking lot and may have attacked her with a knife. From the press release, it does not appear the victim required hospitalization.

Shooting

 According to this, the number of reported shootings taking place in Carbondale has tripled since the start of the epidemic. Police reported 19 or fewer in the year 2019 and the revious years but 59 in 2020 and that many so far this year. I would hazard a guess that the sheer number of guns floating around the country has driven the numbers up, not only here but nationally. Gun sales went up about 40% in 202 with about 20% of those sold to first time buyers.

Professor Indicted

 Well, that is a first for Carbondale and SIUC, although likely not one which they appreciate. I do not think the federal authorities have investigated anyone at SIUC since the early 1980s.

Shots

 Morons on East Sycamore Street decided to shoot a gun yesterday evening . Witnesses identified a car that the suspect was in but when police stopped it, they found two other people, a couple of guns, one stolen and an illegal quantity of marijuana. The shooting suspect, Jalen Cobb, is still at large and police consider him armed and dangerous. One of the two in the car is still being held while the other was released with a notice to appear. Never a good idea to try making your point with a gun, especially when you already have a record or a stolen gun in your car.

Shooting

 According to this press release, there was a shooting near the corner of Oakland and Sycamore this morning. Two people in the hospital, neither with life threatening injuries. Just shows that idiots and guns do not mix.

Royal Asian Spa

 The FBI is investigating the Royal Asian Spa on the east side of Carbondale.  According to the website, $60 an hour for a deep tissue massage. If the pictures are accurate, the masseuses are pretty young. according to someone who went inside, hoping to sell advertising, the carpet was stained and it took awhile for anyone to come to the desk and the young lady who finally answered spoke little to no English.

Habitat for Humanity Theft

 The Jackson and Union County Habitat for Humanity's storage shed in Murphysboro got broken into over the weekend and a number of power tools stolen including a Missing a pasload cordless finish nailer in orange case and Milwaukee cordless drills and drivers 12 volt. All of the tools are clearly marked "Habitat for Humanity".

Assault Update

Carbondale police have several leads on the assailants of a couple on West Cherry st.They think the suspects are the same group caught on camera on the town square earlier this week and they may have a confession already.

Crime in Carbondale

5 teens attacked a man and woman on West Cherry St. this past weekend.. Asked for change for a bill and then attacked, knocking the man to the ground.

According to Neighborhood Watch, Carbondale is not a particularly safe city. The crime rate is slightly higher than Illinois as a whole and the site ranks Cdale at 9%, meaning that it considers 91% of cities safer than Carbondale is.

Thief

Carbondale police are looking for this chap who stole stuff from the east side Hobby Lobby