Crime In Pearland

[12thManFan]

Crime

[njvisitor]

On the 10pm news tonight, lead story was about a kidnapping and robbery that happened last Friday night in Shadow Creek Ranch. Two robbers kidnapped a couple at their community mail box and robbed them before taking them to an ATM machine to get more money. They were then dumped off in the Walmart parking lot....

Unbelievable...

Wow....

That's really messed up. The Pearland PD REALLY needs to keep up with all the development. I don't care if it means hiring more officers or re-managing current assets - something needs to change.

Aside from watching for speeders on the new part of 518, I never see any cops in the SCR, Southern Trails, Silverlake, Sunrise Lakes, etc. area.

This is simply outrageous.

Here's some necessary info:

City Council / Mayor Contact Information:

Mailing Address:

City of Pearland, Texas

City Hall

3519 Liberty Dr

Pearland, TX 77581

Telephone: (281)652-1662

Fax: (281) 652-1708

E-Mail: council@ci.pearland.tx.us

Pearland Police Department Contact Information (includes emails, phone numbers, and address):

http://pearlandpd.com/contacts.xml

[rem78]

The video on abc13 said this happened a couple of Friday's ago...I can't believe it took us this long to find out.

Thanks for the contact info njvisitor. I actually do see some patrol through the neighborhoods, but SCR is huge so it could take a few minutes to react to any call. I hope the patrols step up. My husband is now basically forbidding me to run at night (even with the dog), great.

[ricco67]

On the 10pm news tonight, lead story was about a kidnapping and robbery that happened last Friday night in Shadow Creek Ranch. Two robbers kidnapped a couple at their community mail box and robbed them before taking them to an ATM machine to get more money. They were then dumped off in the Walmart parking lot....

Unbelievable...

Why and what part is unbelievable?

Crime usually happens when officers aren't around, just so you know. But the thing its that the individual is responsible for their own safety and be aware of their surroundings. Either way, I'm glad they survived the incident.

[njvisitor]

No problem rem78, please urge your friends (who live in Pearland) to write/call and voice their complaints.

Here is the link to the abc story: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=...&id=5595785

[Guest Marty]

This is the kind of situation where a concealed hand gun license would be useful.

[ricco67]

Totally agree. In fact, I'm going to take my classes to get my license.

Hey mods, how about renaming the thread to something relevant?

[12thManFan]

[12thManFan]

[musicman]

As far as the relevancy of the thread title, why don't you make some sort of suggestion instead of just whining. Frankly, your comments really irritate me. I chose to live here, therefore I will NOT just sit back and accept what is happening in my community.

People like you 12thman will make a difference.

[ParagK]

Friends,

The ABC13 online webCast points to the area around Hwy 35 and not in SCR (BW8 and 288), at the begining of the story.

12thMan can you tell us where exactly did the crime happen and which subdivision ? This is getting scary.

Parag

[12thManFan]

.

[Crionics]

I will be writing to the City and/or councilmembers to express my concerns regarding this.

Luckily, I believe a new police station is planned immediately adjacent to SCR.

12thman, after this and Target, what was the third incident you were referring to? If we're lucky, maybe some of these incidents are being performed by the same group.

Thanks

[12thManFan]

[rem78]

I also sent some inquiries out and the PPD replied that they the cases are being worked and that as a community we should be active in our neighborhood patrol. I fully believe this and plan to let my neighbors know whats going on tonight. I even emailed the HOA because I would expect them to send out a quick notice to the residents about what is occuring in the neighborhood...the good and the bad. I really don't receive a lot of communications from the SCR HOA. Oh, and the PPD reports that they have increased patrols through the neighborhood and bike patrols. Anybody seen them?

[brerrabbit]

I will be writing to the City and/or councilmembers to express my concerns regarding this.

Luckily, I believe a new police station is planned immediately adjacent to SCR.

12thman, after this and Target, what was the third incident you were referring to? If we're lucky, maybe some of these incidents are being performed by the same group.

Thanks

The new police station is to be built on Cullen near 518. It will also house the new municipal courts. I don't know of any plans to build a station in or around SCR. As I have stated in another thread on this subject part of the problem is that major portions of the west side of Pearland are not in the City of Pearland. SCR is however the Wal Mart on 518 near 288 is not. Also large areas of Silverlake and Silvercrest are not in the city either. Those areas are patroled by the Brazoria County Sheirfs department. We in the Pearland area of Brazoria County have long been the semi bastard step children of the county that act to much like the people in Houston than the people in Angleton which means our needs are many times ignored. Part of your calls, e-mails, and letters should be directed to the sheirfs office in Angleton. They need to also step up their enforcement in the area.

[Chamo]

I also sent some inquiries out and the PPD replied that they the cases are being worked and that as a community we should be active in our neighborhood patrol. I fully believe this and plan to let my neighbors know whats going on tonight. I even emailed the HOA because I would expect them to sent out a quick notice to the residents to about what is occuring in the neighborhood...the good and the bad. I really don't receive a lot of communications from the SCR HOA. Oh, and they have increased patrols through the neighborhood and bike patrols. Anybody seen them?

Thanks Rem78 & 12thManFan; I've been out for a while and just returned home to see all this happening around. I too will approach all my neighbors and for sure will get in touch with the HOA & Police. I actually see them once a while patrolling our neighborhood, but apparently is not enough.

[Crionics]

The new police station is to be built on Cullen near 518. It will also house the new municipal courts. I don't know of any plans to build a station in or around SCR. As I have stated in another thread on this subject part of the problem is that major portions of the west side of Pearland are not in the City of Pearland. SCR is however the Wal Mart on 518 near 288 is not. Also large areas of Silverlake and Silvercrest are not in the city either. Those areas are patroled by the Brazoria County Sheirfs department. We in the Pearland area of Brazoria County have long been the semi bastard step children of the county that act to much like the people in Houston than the people in Angleton which means our needs are many times ignored. Part of your calls, e-mails, and letters should be directed to the sheirfs office in Angleton. They need to also step up their enforcement in the area.

I've seen a few references on the internet (City of Pearland and SCR websites) discussing a police substation on Shadow Creek Parkway. I've also seen one of the blue SCR signs saying "future police/fire station". Here's hoping it actually happens.......

Good point about also contacting the Sheriff's office in Angleton.....

[ricco67]

What part is unbelievable?????? How about that this is the third such incident in Pearland THIS MONTH???? How about my wife and two kids witnessed a woman getting a gun put to her head in the Target parking lot on a Saturday morning??? I understand that with growth comes the potential for crime, but I don't expect to have to worry about getting robbed at gunpoint when I check my mail.

I am not going to just lay down and accept the fact that a bunch of criminals think they can come into my community and do what they want without a fight. I have contacted the police about a neighborhood watch program. I will do what is necessary to protect my family and property. THAT is being responsible for your own safety...not just saying "ho-hum" it's just a fact of life we're going to have deal with. Bullshit.

As far as the relevancy of the thread title, why don't you make some sort of suggestion instead of just whining. Frankly, your comments really irritate me. I chose to live here, therefore I will NOT just sit back and accept what is happening in my community.

If people simply stopped going about their lives like they are the only ones on the planet, they wouldn't be such easy victims. People are supposed to be constantly vigilant in their day to day lives, no matter what they're doing, no matter where they go. your statement, "I understand that with growth comes the potential for crime, but I don't expect to have to worry about getting robbed at gunpoint when I check my mail" in itself is total nonsense. You should ALWAYS be aware. Anything less then that is total negligence on the victims part. This is not to say that the victims deserve it, but they should be more aware.

You're one of the few people I've seen in awhile that SEEMS like they might do something proactive as opposed to being reactive.

The reasoning as to why this thread should be renamed (or perhaps merged with another thread) is so people who are like minded like yourself can google and find this forum or be able to spot it more easily in a casual search. Again, it's thinking of OTHER people that aren't aware of this forum and not to be your own personal soapbox. Of which you need to think outside of it.

I'm glad my comments irritate you, hopefully I made you think and perhaps angered you enough to do something about it. Let's see if you follow it up.

One thing you need to learn here, one: watch your language. We have underage people that peruse these forums (again, start thinking outside of yourself).

[Guest Marty]

I would change the topic title to the neighborhood that it happen in, you will get more of a response. You can do it yourself with the "full edit tab" in your first post.

[Ethanra]

I blame Metro and the City of Houston for the crime in Pearland.

[neonurse97]

I blame Metro and the City of Houston for the crime in Pearland.

How is Metro and the City of Houston to blame for the crime in Pearland? Please elaborate.

[CWS]

I saw where the map they used in the story points to the east side of Pearland, however the story references SCR several times and also the reporter was live in SCR when the story aired last night. I think they just mixed up the map, not the actual location of the crime. Plus, it showed the Walmart here at 518 and 288 as the location where they were dropped off.

I am not sure in which neighborhood the crime in the channel 13 news story happened. I have called the police to ask, and had to leave a message.

The car break-in last night occurred in the Sunrise Creek subdivision of SCR.

My wife and I are having a house built in Shadow Creek Ranch right now in Biscayne Bay Village.

The abduction and robbery from Friday night August 10th happened to friends of ours. They live in Island Manor in Emerald Bay Village. They were returning home late and decided to stop at their mailbox which is right at the entrance to the neighborhood. While the husband was checking the mail, a guy wearing a bandana and wielding a handgun jumped him and forced him to lie face down on the grass with the gun to the back of his head. His wife laid on their horn hoping a neighbor would look outside, but nobody did. A second guy also wearing a bandana made her stop. I did not learn whether he also had a gun. They made the husband get back in the car, they got in the back seat, and then they forced our friends to drive to a couple of area ATMs to withdraw cash. A third accomplice followed in the robbers' car. Our friends said all three were African-American males.

The husband said that one of the guys in the back seat kept up a string of expletives and abusive language while the other actually appeared a little nervous. After getting the money they wanted, they left our friends and drove off. The husband got only one digit of their license plate number. Our friends told us that later when they went to pick up their car from wherever the police had taken it to be processed, the clerk at the desk actually thought they were there to pick up another car because apparently he had had three cars recently processed due to similar crimes in the area. I do not know where in Pearland those other crimes took place.

Although our friends were understandably very shaken up, we pointed out that they were lucky not to have been killed. The following week when I learned on Fox News' website of the pregnant lady who had the guy get in her vehicle and point a gun at her while she was strapping her toddler into his car seat in the Super Target parking lot the very next morning (see link below), I sent the news tip about our friends to Fox. They wanted to do the story that evening, but our friends were too scared to speak to the media and refused.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Ho....1.1&sflg=1

I was a little upset because I said the only way Shadow Creek Ranch will get more police protection is if these stories get on the news. Pearland cannot afford the bad publicity as they try to emulate The Woodlands with the new riverwalk and Sugar Land with the new town center. Our friends decided they would try the Shadow Creek Ranch Homeowners' Association instead. Yeah, right. What are they going to do about assaults and abductions. Our friends are hoping Island Manor can become gated, but I pointed out access gates do not stop crime. You would need a guard and maybe a camera at the gate. That would not stop the crime, but it would deflect it to the neighborhoods without such services. Of course, what would happen to the homeowners' dues to pay for that?

I do not know how ABC 13 found out about the story a week later, but I am glad they did. Now maybe Pearland will see the need to step up the patrols.

[ricco67]

again. see post #19.

[CWS]

again. see post #19.

You are right that we should all be vigilant, and our friends might have been more so. They are probably like most residents of Shadow Creek Ranch who believe it is somehow an island of safety just because it is so neat and manicured. However, they could have been pulling into their driveway instead of stopping to check the mail, and these guys could have jumped them then. How can anyone be more vigilant in such a circumstance?

I actually think these guys were casing a house or waiting for someone to drive into their driveway, then saw our friends and took an easy opportunity. It does not make sense that they would be staking out the mailbox thinking someone would stop to check their mail in the middle of the night.

Yes, you can be more careful by not checking your mailbox at night, but you have to pull into your driveway. What could they have done then if they had been jumped getting out of their car?

[musicman]

again. see post #19.

based on CWS's post, how should they have responded differently? have his wife spot him with a handgun as he checked the mail? vigilance doesn't ALWAYS prevent crime as you're implying.

[ricco67]

based on CWS's post, how should they have responded differently? have his wife spot him with a handgun as he checked the mail? vigilance doesn't ALWAYS prevent crime as you're implying.

You turn into a subdivision at night, and you notice a car behind you turning in. You notice this by looking in the rearview mirror. Whether it's going to be at your home or at a mailbox. PAY FREAKIN' ATTENTION! It's NOT that hard Musicman.

If it follows you turn by turn initially, it's not a big deal, but if you take a random turn and it STILL follows you, then you need to suspect something.

When you tail someone in a subdivision, the likely hood of them matching you turn by turn are incredibly small, unless it's your next door neighbor. One random turn or two can determine this.

[musicman]

You turn into a subdivision at night, and you notice a car behind you turning in. You notice this by looking in the rearview mirror. Whether it's going to be at your home or at a mailbox. PAY FREAKIN' ATTENTION! It's NOT that hard Musicman.

from the description given by CWS, it doesn't say they were followed into the neighborhood. the car may have been parked nearby or even right there with the lights off while the thugs could be hiding in the bushes, etc. I dont know the exact scenario, but when someone suddenly appears with a gun and jumps you, sometimes you can't do anything but follow orders.

when someone robs a convenience store, they usually dont go in an announce "i'm going to rob the store," they tend to be subtle so that they dont give the employee time to react.

vigilance is good but it doesn't necessarily prevent a crime.

[ricco67]

You're right, they probably didn't follow them by car.

But do you think it was a good idea to go at night to the mailbox?

Vigilance isn't about preventing crime, it's becoming aware of your surroundings so you don't get yourself into a situation that is quite unhealthy.

[Guest Marty]

based on CWS's post, how should they have responded differently? have his wife spot him with a handgun as he checked the mail? vigilance doesn't ALWAYS prevent crime as you're implying.

If you was packing a pistol while you were checking the mail then vigilance does pay off.