Simple. Because I really like this place!
Yes, I came to my senses and moved to the much more progressive and diverse "Mistake On The Lake" area. Anyone who has spent a good amount of time in or lived in Cincinnati will know what I'm talking about. I grew up in Cincinnati, White Oak to be exact, so you possibly-former Cincinnatians think I'm bashing the "good ol' hometown" need to chill. I know it's easy to get you Cincinnati folks wriled up over someone breathing the wrong way. I'm probably no exception in that case.
I might as well cut to the point of this site.
Two weeks ago, my vehicle had been broken into by an attempt to take my car. The would-be-thief couldn't steal the car, so he decided to bash the hell out of the steering column making it inoperable. He had just come to Lot 1 (Kennilworth and Overlook) in a stolen car that ran out of gas and attempted to steal two cars in the lot, mine being one of them.
Supposedly, an investigator rolling by saw the guy trying to snag one of the vehicles, called up the local cavalry and they went off on foot chasing this goon through the yards on Kennilworth. They didn't catch the idiot, but they got a good ID on him. 6'5 and probably big around as he was tall. How he outran the police, I have no idea. You'd think something that big would get caught up in between the houses or tripped by a garden light, but apparently not.
The investigator made out a report number paper and put it into my car, thanks to the window being busted from the would-be-thief.
Two weeks prior to that, my girlfriend had my own vehicle broken into in an attempt to steal the car audio. They guy couldn't get it out, so instead he decided to bash the hell out of the dashboard. Guess he figured, "You got this bolted in so hard, I'll make you sorry because I can't steal it" and just laid into the dashboard.
He got in by using a crowbar, bending down the part that holds the window in the door so he could reach in and unlock the door.
He left prints all over the place...I mean, you could see them from it being a rainy night and hands were wet, on the glass on the door of the car.
When she called the police, one guy showed up and said it would be "pointless to print the car", took the report and hauled ass out of there.
Since then, after many walks at night during any given time at night, I have yet to see a cruiser just chiling in the lot. Not once. Previous to that, there was always a cruiser hanging out in Lot 1. Way back in the corner where no one parks, just hanging out.
Every other weekend when I came to visit, there was nine times out of ten, a cruiser hanging out in the lot. Hell, I don't know if there was a cop in them half of the time. But if that was the case, obviously it would make a thief think twice before trying to snag someone's property.
I'm saying that either we put a cruiser in the lot, whether it be manned or un-manned with the camera rolling, or put some electronic surveilance in the lots because many of us are students, young people just getting started or whatever and we don't have the money laying around to just throw to the auto body places whenever. Hell, I bet most of us don't even have comprehensive.
If we had that sort of money laying around, we'd live in Shaker instead.
If some do have comprehensive and our car gets busted into more than once a year, I'm pretty sure the adjusters will be scratching their heads wondering what the hell is going on. A car broken into twice in one year in a suburb like this does seem pretty shady.
According to the local police, there has been an "epidemic", which is this specific officer called it, of car break in attempts, car thefts and lots of vehicle property damage.
So my question is, if that's the case, then where the hell are the cops who were hanging in the lot before this all occurred? You'd think if things were getting crazy in a certain area, you'd have law enforcement - you know - keeping an eye on things?
The online petition to propose surveilance or guarding of the Municipal Lots can be found by clicking HERE.
We're not asking that police guard ALL the lots, just when it gets crazy and another one of these "epidemics" occur, you might want to consider chilling and hanging out in the lots once again.
NO PARKING DURING THE HOURS FROM 3AM TO 6AM
What in the hell is this all about? Word of mouth to unaware visitors or new residents that you can't park on the street during this time? I can't think of any other way of letting people know.
Looks to us as some cheesy attempt to make money for the city. I don't see any city sweepers during this time. I know it's not the garbage collection strolling through becasue they show up during the day.
I can clearly understand the 7AM to 9AM and the 4:30PM to 6:30PM rules, which are posted. The 3AM to 6AM No Parking, however, is NOT posted.
I propose that we have signs put up for people who don't know of this policy.
If someone from the city or law enforcement reads this, please email the reason, if there is one to: [email protected]
The reasons, no matter how shady or completely understandable it is, it will be posted on this site.
The petition to fill in for proposing this issue, can be found by clicking HERE.
TO OUR CLEVELAND HEIGHTS LAW ENFORCEMENT
I truly am appreciative to your service. I also understand that you folks are following the policies set forth by the city. In saying that, I understand it's totally not your fault this stuff happens. This site is not some "screw the flatfoots - the hell with laws and cops" kind of thing.
To unfairly compare you folks to the Cincinnati Police, you folks seem very cordial and courteous.
After I requested police assistance after I found my vehicle was broken into, an investigator/officer showed up very quickly - that is after I ranted and cussed on the phone to the police about how the 3AM-6AM rule sucked - and the officer was pretty cool.
The officer behind the counter at the Cleveland Heights Police Station seemed like a hell of a nice guy too. He explained the situation and gave me the number of an investigator who is good at finding and preventing car break ins.
I had this happen to me twice in Hamilton County and the officers there were more concerned if I did it or who I was hanging around than to give me a chance to make out a simple report. Granted, Cincinnati has gotten a bad rap over the past few years about their police force, but in some cases they aren't the nicest of fellows who seem to follow through and it seems a piece of crap has to be standing on your neck before they show up.
You folks seemed to get right to my concern and helped me out. Thank you.
I also understand that police have probably a mountain of grivances to the cities, counties or townships they work for. You folks are just the messengers, not the maker of rules. Thanks again!