Posted by Jay, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jan 18, 2007 at 5:48 pm

The police will get their act together when people in Palo Alto make them. As far as I can tell, nobody cares enough.

Posted by Sara, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Jan 18, 2007 at 10:47 pm

It's scary robberies happened in day time now, not only at nights. You can't walk in your neighborhood???!!!!

Posted by resident, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Jan 19, 2007 at 2:29 pm

So Kurt, you want the cops to racial profile? Is that what you are trying to say?

The police do have their act together...you are too ignorant to realize that.

Posted by Kurt, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Jan 23, 2007 at 12:09 am

Interesting you should bring up race. My point is that it sounds like the same guy (with a buddy) is committing the same crime in the same location and with the same methods, and no one is finding the guy. Apparently, a very complicated case.

Posted by Steve H, a resident of another community, on Jan 26, 2007 at 10:58 pm

As I recall the description given was a young black or hispanic male, average height, average weight, in all dark clothing last seen running away from the scene. That same description is unfortunately the norm. The police can check for previous contacts with individuals matching that very vague description in the area before, surveil the area for the next few weeks using limited detectives that are already working on tons of other cases that other citizens say are just as important, and increase marked patrols in the area using a handful of patrol officers that are assigned to answer calls for service, adopt a school, take lengthy reports, patrol the streets, respond to EPA when they frequently request assistance, and according to the focus group that participated in the strategic planning surveys; educate the public and conduct bicycle and foot patrols. But unless someone gets a better description (much more specific) and the police can get a sketch made based on a competent witnesses recollection...it's unlikely the police are going to be abel to just catch the bad guys.

An interesting piece of trivia for you: there are times during the day when there are only 3 or 4 patrol officers on the street and that is the norm when it is night. The best thing the community could do if it really wanted to have the police focus on catching bad guys would be to not make them worry about the less dramatic things like leaf-blowers, adopting schools. taking reports on crimes that will in no way generate an arrest, barking dogs, etc.

Just my two cents.

Posted by Jay, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Jan 29, 2007 at 3:11 pm

Steve's last paragraph sums up the real reason nobody is going to be arrested for these crimes other than by accident. Three and four patrol officers is far too few.

Posted by ?, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 1, 2007 at 8:56 pm

I was in my car haerd the alarm in the house across the street go off and saw two guys run like hell out of there carrying something. One was black and thother look white. They were younge looking.

Posted by Mayfield Child, a resident of the Green Acres neighborhood, on Mar 8, 2007 at 12:56 pm

PROBABLY the only way these guys are going to get busted is when they start laughing and get bold, mouthing off to their other buddies about how easy it is for the pickings in Palo Alto.....

Then, one of the buddies decides to "SNITCH", for one reason or another. Use your imagination on that one. ( Disagreement; not enough of the cut; someone elce gets busted and to aleviate a charge, snitches the info off about so~and~so doing whatever..) But from what I have known, the snitch is the only way people get caught when the police haven't a clue to go on.....

Scary that the desparados are still out there..stalking..I used to be afraid for my (now deceased) 84 year old mother going to the bank alone...now I am looking over my shoulder..casually, but being more aware than I have been in the past..but not just at the bank.