Crime in Milwaukee

Criminals in Milwaukee don't consider Sunday a day of rest. They don't keep holy the sabbath. Palm Sunday doesn't give the thugs pause.

Police are investigating two Sunday afternoon and three overnight robberies.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Two men pointed a gun at a cashier at a George Webb's restaurant before fleeing with a small amount of money from a register overnight, Milwaukee police said this morning.

The robbery occurred about 11:35 p.m. at 9207 W. Capitol Drive. No one was injured.

The case is one of three involving robbery in the city overnight; however, in the other two cases, the suspects got nothing.

Police are also investigating an attempted armed robbery when a victim was approached on the street in the 2900 block of N. Oakland Ave. at 12:08 a.m. A suspect implied he had a weapon; however, one was not seen. He demanded money but didn't receive any before he fled on foot, police said.

In a separate case, a suspect entered a Wal-Mart store at 401 E. Capitol Drive about 12:30 a.m. Police said the suspect pointed a gun at an employee but became startled when another employee appeared. The suspect fled without any money, police said.

Here we go again.

This is just like first reports of robberies that later were linked to the Bay View crime spree.

No descriptions of suspects.

That's irresponsible.

What's with Block Watch programs and enlisting the public to be vigilant? Wouldn't it help to release descriptions of the suspects terrorizing the public?

Why not give out that information?

Holding back keeps the public from assisting in finding the thugs. It also prevents them from protecting themselves.

These sort of reports only serve to spread fear.

They are vague warnings, but strong reminders that the city is going to hell.

To its credit, the Milwaukee Police Department did issue a warning after two robberies at ATMs yesterday afternoon.

Police are warning residents about two armed robberies at automated teller machines that occurred about the same time Sunday afternoon, Milwaukee police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said.

It's likely the same two suspects who were seen at both incidents, which happened at W. 22nd St. and N. Capitol Drive at 3:25 p.m. Sunday, and at W. Villard Ave. and N. 22nd St. at 3:39 p.m., Schwartz said.

Police are working on getting video from surveillance cameras at both locations, Schwartz said.

OK.

The "same two suspects" were seen at "both incidents."

What do those suspects look like?

It's good that police issued the warning about robberies at ATMs. It took months before any official warnings about robberies came out during the Bay View crime spree courtesy of the Spanish Cobras.

It's ridiculous that again descriptions of the suspects weren't provided. Without a doubt, they know what they look like in the ATM cases.

Is it the police department holding back the information?

Is it The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel doing shoddy reporting?

I can't say.

However, it definitely is one or the other. It hurts the public; and in the long term, it does damage to the city as the exodus to suburbs and exburbs continues.