And where is the Bat Man?

On Sunday afternoon, a man came into my neighbor's back yard and quietly deposited his bike by the fence. He then departed on my neighbor's bicycle, which had been in his garage. My neighbor was gardening about ten feet away when it all happened. He noticed the noise and looked up in time to see the man leaving, and gave chase. Luckily the chain locked up about a block later and the thief fled further on foot, leaving my neighbor with his bicycle.

This was in broad daylight with plenty of people outside in the area enjoying the warm sunny weather. I understand my personal history makes me particularly sensitive to these types of events, but it is hard to love where you live when the seedier elements have become so bold.

A few weeks ago, visiting a local electronics store not far from Delaware park on a very busy street, I learned that it is frequently targeted by burglers who often smash to pieces any piece of equipment they are unable to pry intact from the mooring, as if to punish the proprietors for making it difficult. What scum. I don't care what hand life may have dealt you, theft is just abhorrent.

Our Thin Blue Line is supposedly cracking down on this sort of activity. There are definitely some fighting the good fight and they deserve the highest commendations. But when you see a patrol car turn it's lights on and off over and over just to blow through the stop signs and red lights on Richmond, it makes you wonder about the ethics of the officer behind the wheel and sends a real shitty message to everyone around.

Noise polluters aren't cited or dealt with, nuisances and street obstructions are left to fester, and crime, while supposedly statistically falling, feels like it's getting closer and closer. It's enough for me to shake my cane at.