“How far will criminals go?”
That was the question asked by Indianapolis residents as they reacted to a bizarre wave of shocking crimes against students.
Parents and city leaders are expressing outrage at a series of bus stop robberies that have taken place since last week. Middle and high school students who would normally be safe waiting at their bus stop ran into robbers who threatened them at gunpoint.
On Jan. 22, between 6:41 a.m. and 6:58 a.m., a 16-year-old student was robbed at 43rd St. and Audubon Rd., followed by a 17-year-old boy at 42nd St. and Shady Ln., a 15-year-old girl on East 40th St. and five children at a bus stop near the Eastside intersection of 42nd St. and Ridgeview Dr.
One student returned home bleeding after he was struck in the face by a pistol.
“They went into his pockets. They actually hit him in the head with a gun and they took off,” said the boy’s mother, who asked to keep her identity withheld.
Police say robbers stole a CD player, mp3 player, a backpack and small amounts of cash.
Less than a week later, on Jan. 27, another bus top robbery took place in the 2000 block of Forest Manor Avenue. A 14-year old had his mp3 player stolen and was hit on the back of the head with a gun.
The shock
Sgt. Matthew Mount, spokesman for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), said even experienced police officers have been surprised by the turn of events.
“I’ve never heard of kids getting robbed at bus stops in Indianapolis before,” said Mount. “Why would someone risk 30 years in prison just to rob a kid for lunch money?”
Police said potential causes for the robberies include the fact that more students are carrying expensive electronic items to school, as well as the number of individuals with prior criminal records who choose to return to illegal activities.
“Statistics show that most people who commit these crimes have a prior criminal history,” said Mount. “Instead of becoming productive citizens, they return to the criminal lifestyle looking for fast money.”
City officials have promised a strong and effective reaction to the robberies. IMPD has already increased patrols in the Eastside neighborhoods where the crimes occurred.
“We’re taking aggressive action to make sure these kids and their parents know it’s safe to go to school,” said Mayor Greg Ballard. “What happened is reprehensible, and it underscores the reason public safety will remain our top priority for Indianapolis.
On Jan. 23, IMPD officers, clergymen and concerned parents held a rally in a yard at 42nd and Sheridan, near the site of one of the robberies.
Rev. Charles Ellis, director of the Ten Point Coalition, a local community organization, encouraged residents to help “make our community safer” by reporting suspicious activity near bus stops.
“We can no longer tolerate this kind of behavior and this kind of lawlessness in our community,” said Rev. Charles Harrison, a member of the coalition and pastor of Barnes United Methodist Church.
“There are individuals in our community that have no honor,” added Harrison, who himself was robbed in the parking lot of his church a couple of years ago. “They have no boundaries. They have no morals and values.”
Police do not believe last week’s crimes are related to Tuesday’s robbery. The suspects from last week’s incidents were described as two young Black men wearing hoodies and driving a silver Dodge Intrepid. For Tuesday’s robbery, witnesses described a young Black man in a hoodie with a large M on the back, as well as a white male with brown hair and pronounced jaw line who drove a white van.
The solution
Mount said robberies can be solved and prevented not only with the increased patrols, but also with increased help from residents looking out for suspicious activity.
“Unfortunately, we just don’t have the manpower to patrol every bus stop in the city everyday,” said Mount. “So we’re asking for residents to help be our eyes and ears when officers are responding to a call or patrolling another bus stop.”
He continued, “As a city we have to depend upon parents and neighbors to watch out for each other and the kids. If they see anything suspicious they should call police immediately and within a couple of minutes our officers will respond.”
Mount noted that it is important to not resist armed individuals demanding certain items.
“Just give it up and call for help.”
Anyone with information about any of the suspects involved in these robberies is strongly encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS. They can remain anonymous and possibly receive a cash reward for the capture of the suspects.
