Armed robbery. About 11:30 am today.

In the "actually, this is a pretty nice neighborhood" department...

This is an e-mail today from the lady who helps me with Chess Club. The intersection is about three blocks from our house.

Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:33:10 -0400
Subject: CRIME ALERT TODAY
From: Katy
To: Katy

Sorry to report an armed robbery. About 11:30 am today, I was walking my son home from school. We passed a gentleman at the pedestrian crossing at corner of E. Washington and Hawthorne and we crossed the street to go north on Hawthorne.

He came up behind us and quietly told me he needed to talk. I just thought he wanted to bum money so I said, no and crossed the street with my child. He followed and came up close behind my left hip and let me see a revolver that he was holding at his waist, out of shirt. I asked him not to involve my child and he agreed and was very respectful of that. He asked for my money. I pulled out the cash I had($3) and he checked my billfold for more. I gave him the credit cards and I took my wallet back and left us, heading south. I immediately called 911 on my cellphone and while waiting for the operator, told a repairman who was leaving a jobsite on the block. He headed south on Hawthorne but didn’t find the guy. This began at about 1 1/2 blocks north of Washington and he left us about two blocks north (we never stopped walking).

Description: Neat Trim Black man with thick braided hair ending at the neck. Large white t-shirt untucked with gray/light imprint on the front. Faded jeans, loose fit on legs. As scary as it is, I am grateful that it was nothing more and that my son didn’t even know it happened until I had to explain to him why we needed to wait for the police.

The police responded immediately and at this point have not found him.


Be careful out there...


Katy