January 8, 2008
Park Slope Mugging: "They Backed Me Up Against My Door"
As a counterpoint to the tale of the mugging in pre-gentrification Bushwick (or East Williamsburg) in New York magazine, we bring you this mugging story from gentrified Park Slope. From the Morgan L station to the popular Grand Army Plaza stop, a woman gave a first person account of being mugged on Sunday with Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn.
The woman says she had left the subway station around 10:30PM at night. While she was aware of two people about 20 feet behind her, she felt okay because other people were around.
I turned down my block, and when I turned around, saw that they were following me. All I could think of was I needed to get to my door as soon as possible. I took my keys and my cell phone out of my bag. They came up on my stoop, I heard them and turned around, and then they backed me up against my door, pulled on my coat, telling me to give them the bag.The cops caught one of the muggers, the woman identified him, and she later learned he gave up his friend -- and she'll testify at the grand jury later this week. Still, she feels "violated" and "scared."All I could think of was that they were going to drag me somewhere. The smaller of the two grabbed my bag, and they both ran into the park. I started screaming for people to help me, my downstairs neighbor and one of my other neighbors ran into the park after them, and a bunch of other people came out. My roommate and this other woman called the cops. I really appreciate all my neighbors and what they did for me. The cops came right away, asked me to get in the car, and we were going to drive into the park to see if I could identify them if found.
Photograph of a Grand Army Plaza subway entrance by wallyg on Flickr
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This is what happens when you live ina upscale neighborhood next to a park. This has been happening for decades. She should have started yelling before they took her purse.
This is what happens when you live ina upscale neighborhood next to a park. This has been happening for decades. She should have started yelling before they took her purse.
Sweet they were caught!
This mugging story has a happier ending than 99.9% of other muggins. No one got physically hurt and they caught the people.
"This is what happens when you live ina upscale neighborhood next to a park."
What does that even mean?
No one deserves to be mugged. It IS frightening and upsetting to get mugged, especially if you are mugged at gunpoint or knifepoint.
This is the woman who was mugged on Sunday (a friend sent me the Gothamist link). In an attempt to be civil, all I have to say to Reality Czech (you must think you're so clever with that username) is that you've obviously never had some kid in your face demanding that you hand over your bag. Do you really think I just calmly gave over my bag and said 'thank you sir, may I have another?"
I tried to scream, but nothing came out. If you think people who live in nice neighborhoods deserve to be mugged you probably believe that women that wear short skirts deserve to be raped too. Bloody idiot.
Consider yourself lucky that you've never been through this sort of ordeal.
@KNX: Person to person, you shoudl just ingore the comments thread because it is going to fill up with snarky people that get off on bashing you. Honestly, you've just been through some trauma, reading the crap that pops up here is only going to make it worse. Best of luck. Nearly every NY'er gets mugged, it gets better.
That's why I carry my friend Mr. Stabby, and hold it navy seal style.
Psst… just a tip… RealityCzech is an ass… it’s not clear whether he’s deliberately trolling or whether he’s actually a sociopath but best tactic is to just ignore him and certainly don’t take it personally.
Was it Crocett or Tubbs who caught the mugger?
Whatever Colochita you bitch.
Look, you live next to a park, it has been known for decades taht ghetto youths rob people who live next to a park and then run into the park for cover. Most of these robberies aren't even reported. I'm amazed they caught the culprits. That shows how stupid they really are.
Good going in helping the police catch those guys
most people (including myself) have been mugged in or near parks
good you caught the monsters
I'm glad they caught these thugs but it is very disturbing, especially after hearing a similar story from a woman who was mugged near by on New Years day. Does anyone know if there is a Park Slope Neighborhood or Citizens Watch?
I probably know the answer, but what ethnicity were muggers?
Glad you caught those fuckers.
^they were hasidics from the local yeshiva!
Upon looking at this and yesterday's threads again, it's pretty ridiculous to apply the word "gentrify" as an active or passive verb. so...relocation to another neighborhood makes you a "gentrifier?" regardless of what you call others (hipsters, artists, yuppies, etc), why criticize someone who chooses not to spend their life in one place? Honestly a lot of you sound no different than locals from small towns in flyover states. In your ideal world, do we never move?
I suppose the original immigrants were also gentrifiers. That means many of you are descendants of gentrifiers. Regardless of where you come from or where you end up, it's just a matter of respecting your surroundings, period. Somewhere in the world, there are people who would consider most of you gentrifiers as well.
Also, if one isn't a "gentrifier," does that by default make you a "lowerer or maintainer of property value?" Are you one or the other?
The people bitching about gentrifying are the same people who bitch about high crime—they're never happy. fuck em!
The people bitching about gentrifying are the same people who bitch about high crime—they're never happy. fuck em!
so, you'd feel good if he got 25 years for stealing your purse?
Think about it: if you had to go through the all the trouble of robbing someone, which neighborhoods would make it more worth your while? That's right, folks -- the ones with the richer people in them who pay higher rent!
I agree with edEx. People would rather have the original neighborhoodies seen as a sort ornament rather than to actually mingle with them. Not to say that the muggers were right or that it's this woman's fault but I remember a time when muggings were expected to occur and just as possible as getting shit on by a pigeon. Hell, people get raped and mugged on the UWS still so why are people shocked to hear that they get mugged in Williamsburg or Park Slope? Yes, I was mugged and beat up before and know how much it sucks.
Generally speaking, I think hipsters need to grow a frigging pair. I also really wish they move back to Kansas and LA. They're a pretentious plague of biblical magnitudes.
"Welcome to NY... Now get the fuck out."
I agree with edEx. People would rather have the original neighborhoodies seen as a sort ornament rather than to actually mingle with them. Not to say that the muggers were right or that it's this woman's fault but I remember a time when muggings were expected to occur and just as possible as getting shit on by a pigeon. Hell, people get raped and mugged on the UWS still so why are people shocked to hear that they get mugged in Williamsburg or Park Slope? Yes, I was mugged and beat up before and know how much it sucks.
Generally speaking, I think hipsters need to grow a frigging pair. I also really wish they move back to Kansas and LA. They're a pretentious plague of biblical magnitudes.
"Welcome to NY... Now get the f*ck out."
ell442:
putting them away for 25 years would save the trouble of the police having to keep re-arresting them for all of the future crimes they are going to commit, not to mention possibly saving the life of the next victim they try to mug, when they stab or shoot them so the victim can't scream.
Good on you for getting the cops involved immediately, unlike those other park slope mugging victims, the Rushkoffs.
too bad they don't let the public beat those muggers first.
As far as mugging stories go, this seems like the best of a bad situation, i.e. the muggers didn't hurt her, neighbors acted like neighbors and helped her out, and the muggers were caught (I'm assuming she got her bag back too).
If I got mugged, that's how I'd want it to go down...
Catching them provides a sense of closure that most mugging victims don't get. Add to the fact that the person wasn't physically hurt equals the best outcome possible (for a mugging). I was grateful for those factors when I found myself in a similar situation a few years ago (mugged without being assaulted in Park Slope--only during the daytime). I felt it was my duty as a citizen to report the crime and follow through (including testifying at the grand jury and at trial). I honestly hope that fucker got the max sentence: he'd robbed several other people over the course of a couple weeks and was either on probabtion or had outstanding warrants, so his going down was no loss to society.
The area around GAP always seems strangely deserted during non-rush hours; it's both very residential (on the side streets) and kind of a thoroughfare without as many businesses as other nearby areas.
I've been robbed several times. This broad got off easy.
My parents have lived on this block for almost 30 years-I don't know if you calculate them as gentrifiers but now my mom is taking car service for neighborhood trips. She was also mugged on the block twenty years ago. It is very scary for a woman to be mugged, especially outside your home.
ell442: They committed a violent crime, do you think we should we just give them a slap on the wrist?
so it's either 25 years or a slap on the wrist? what about all the numbers below 25?
i think an appropriate max sentence for this crime is 5 years.
Reality Czech: If she started yelling before they took her purse, I can almost assure you that she would've been harmed in one way or another. The best option when being mugged is to just give them what they want then immediately all the cops. Your life isn't worth the money in your wallet, is it?
Another thing regarding people carrying weapons on them to prevent muggings: nothing guarantees your safety. You can train your entire life in the martial arts, be trained to use a knife in hand-to-hand combat, etc., but it's all still about odds. These things will increase your odds of winning/survival, but doesn't guarantee it. You need to think about just how much you're willing to bet on your life. A few hundred dollars and your credit cards? Perhaps you feel your life is worth that gamble, but when it's two on one, you have a knife, and you have no idea what they have, I would say the odds are not in your favor...
Knx handled everything perfectly, and should be applauded for being smart.
Spear Chucker:
What does the ethnicity have to do with it? With a stupid-ass name like "Spear Chucker", I guess I have my answer.