I walked into the garage Nov. 7 to get in my truck and go to work when I saw my tool box open.
It took me a minute to comprehend that a thief had been in my garage and stolen a variety of hand tools.
I guess he was going to work and needed them worse than me. No, he pawned them or sold them to his friends for $5 to $10 each.
When I told my coffee drinking buddies about my plight, they grinned and said “Welcome to Clarksdale.”
Thieves
There was a day and age when they crucified thieves. As we became more civilized they just cut off their hands. Today we just don’t catch them.
They got a jig-saw, drill, Skil-saw and two sets of wrenches. I could see where they went through my cabinets. I found where they broke the glass window to get in. They went through both my and Sara’s vehicle.
I guess I should be thankful they didn’t steal more.
I guess I should be thankful they didn’t find the million dollars I had hidden in the garage.
I guess I should be thankful they didn’t try to get in the house as I slept.
No, there was no money hidden in my garage and there really wasn’t anything of value.
But some low-life wanted what little I have and took it, and that aggravated me.
The Shooting
Yes, Tuesday, Nov. 7, was an eventful day for this boy.
I was northbound on Madison Avenue in the little white truck and stopped at the intersection with MLK Boulevard at about 2:30 p.m.
Across the intersection from me were two small two-door cars and the third vehicle in that line was a gray SUV with tinted windows. And the next thing I know a hand comes out the driver’s side with a pistol and fire four rounds at the first car in line!
She took off through the red light. The second car followed her closely. The SUV turned east on the MLK bridge and I followed as I quickly called 911. The Sheriff’s office answered, listened to the fact I just seen a shooting and wanted to report it. They said to hold while they transferred me to Clarksdale Police . . . Yeah, I couldn’t believe it.
Anyway, CPD asked for a description of the vehicle and could I get a license plate number. “No. They just shot at someone and I’m not getting that close.” I soon lost the SUV as he took three corners and was gone.
I went back to Madison and MLK and spotted shell cases on the street. As I got out to pick them up, a woman pulled up in a two-door and asked me if I was a Cop.
“No. But weren’t they shooting at you?”
“Yes, and I know who they are,” she answered.
A Clarksdale Police cruiser pulled up about that time. I heard the woman give the name of the man who shot at her.
My Concern
In the break-in police showed up promptly, looked around, took my name and date of birth.
Those tools are gone.
In the shooting I told police to call me to court if they caught the gunman. I haven’t heard from them.
And neither the break in nor the shooting made the Police Report issued by police to this newspaper. I guess it really wasn’t that important.
Over the past couple of weeks police reported 580 calls for assistance which generated 316 incident reports. There were 35 arrests with two of those being juveniles and two being felonies. Police also issued 23 citations and worked 27 motor vehicle accidents.
Sadly, only about two dozen of those incidents were reported to this newspaper.
And we wonder why people don’t call police.
My Questions
I’m a reporter and paid to ask questions.
Is transferring a crime call to another department the right process? Calls to 911 need to go to a central dispatch, with highly trained dispatchers who know how to properly handle ANY call.
Do they just take a report on a burglary and hope it somehow leads to an arrest?
Where were the SkyCop cameras that blink blue but never seem to catch people committing a crime? Remember the 14 people shot in Downtown Clarksdale this spring? With all those SkyCops – and private cameras – did they ever make an arrest? Did they ever question anyone who was shot and get info that led to an arrest? My victim gave up the names to me and the cops.
What possesses a man to shoot at a woman in broad daylight at a busy intersection?
We had teenagers murdered in Clarksdale this summer and I want to know why no one has been arrested for those crimes?
And last but not least, where are the details on the 316 crimes reported to Clarksdale Police that would let the public know how serious crime is around here?
Clarksdale has a crime problem and I guess we are just supposed to grin and bear it.
No, something has to be done! I will continue to call 911 and report crime. I will continue to help police anyway I can at the scene or in court. Crime will not stop in this town until we stand up and make our city leaders man-up and get tough on crime.
Floyd Ingram is the Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. He has chased cops for more than 30 years and was raised in a military family that respected authority and lived peacefully under law and order. Call him with your crime concerns at 662-627-2201.
