Armed Robberies in Bay View

Violent crime in Milwaukee dropped in 2008.

The Milwaukee Police Department reported a 32 percent drop in homicides, a 10 percent decrease in robberies and a 9.5 percent drop in aggravated assault. Arson is down 9.5 percent and theft is down about 4 percent. Auto theft is down nearly 16 percent. Burglaries were up 2 percent.

That's good news.

It's great news; but if you're a victim of a crime, I don't think those numbers provide any consolation.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Two Milwaukee men have been charged with two armed robberies in Bay View.

Eric L. Williams, 18, and Thomas R. Speck, 22, were each charged with two counts armed robbery, threat of force, as party to a crime in the March 10 robberies. They face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

According to a criminal complaint and Milwaukee police:

An 18-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl were walking to Walgreen's, 3701 S. Howell Ave., about 9:10 p.m. when two men ran out from behind them. Armed with a silver handgun, they demanded money. One victim told police she feared for her safety and threw down her wallet in fear, but then asked the robbers if she could have her driver's permit back. One suspect told the other to return the wallet. She then removed $78 from the wallet and handed it to one of the robbers, who then left the area.

At 9:37 p.m., the men robbed a 34-year-old man walking toward Club Garibaldi in the 1400 block of E. Russell Ave. of $22, but let him keep his wallet. Armed with the suspects' descriptions, police soon arrested Williams and Speck in the 4400 block of S. Quincy Ave. Police recovered a .32-caliber handgun under the front passenger seat of the Isuzu Rodeoas well as a ski mask and several hooded sweatshirts.

Case details: Eric L. Williams and Thomas R. Speck.

...Speck told police he had been laid off and needed money to pay bills and rent. He said he took his mother's gun and her Isuzu and drove around with Williams before picking out the robbery victims on the street.

Speck was laid off and needed money.

Spare me the sob story.

Speck and Williams, his partner in crime, terrorized three people, robbing them at gunpoint. That's inexcusable.

The streets where the robberies occurred are not spots I would expect to be locations of armed robberies. Very disturbing.

Thankfully, these thugs are sitting in jail.