What started my interest was that the crime log published in the Northeast Times does not include rape or murder.  Well, we all hear about the murders.  “If it bleeds, it leads” is a real policy on our local news.  On the other hand if you happen to meet a rapist on the street one morning, it may very well go unreported in the media.  I really can’t tell you why that is. 

The PPD slices and dices the crime stats and has a system of classification that pretty well tells the story.  Rape is subdivided into several goups.  First it can be rape or attempted rape.  Then it can be domestic.  No I don’t know what that means.  Then it can be done by an acquaintance or a stranger.  They are all pretty bad but the rape by a stranger seems to be the mose henious.  That is the type or crime now being reported.  So far this year, there have been 25 rapes or attempts committed by strangers in the 15th District.

The serial rapist accounts for 8 of those.  It seems that to get any attention as a rapist, you have to go into high gear.  There was no outcry over the other 16 rapes so far this year.  Whoe committed them, were they caught, did they go to trial, where are they now?

There other thing that bothers me is, while we now can get some pretty good information on crime, we get squat on arrests and less on convictions.  We got a part of the picture of the problem but nothing on the solution end.

Crime is fairly simple.  It has always existed and always will.  The issue is where and what will be tolerated.  How will we arrest and deal with the criminals.  How long will we let this continue in Frankford before we have to take action.  What are our elected officials doing to address the issues.  They are very busy trying to make believe that it does not involve them at all. 

This is a map of the locations and some details of the events.

I went by the construction site yesterday and took a few pictures.  The houses along Cayuga look like they are almost ready for occupancy.  The fence is coming down and sidewalks and driveways are being formed.  On Wingohocking, it is a little bit slower but moving along.  Along the new street that looks like it is an extension of O street running from Cayuga to Wingohocking, they are still framing some houses. 

Landmarks Tours

Guided Architecture Walking Tours of Philadelphia & the Region

• All walking tours last approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours and are conducted rain or shine. 

• Tour admission is $10/person for adults, $8/person for students with current ID, and FREE for children 10 and under and accompanied by an adult. 

• Admission may be purchased from your guide at the designated meeting place. 

• Reservations are NOT required. 

Aug. 6, Wed. 6 pm        AROUND WASHINGTON SQUARE
                                 Meet
Aug. 10, Sun. 10 am      FRANKFORD
                                 Meet in front of 7th United Presbyterian
                                 Orthodox & Leiper Sts.

Four people — including three Philadelphia firefighters — were injured Monday afternoon in a rowhome blaze in Frankford.

The fire started in a home along the 5300 block of Charles Street just after 3pm.

Officials say three firefighters were hurt.  Two were taken to Temple University Hospital with minor burns.  Another was taken to Jeanes Hospital with cuts to the face.

Read the entire story here.

A man sitting in his truck became the latest victim of crime in Philadelphia when he suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.

Authorities said the unidentified 24-year-old victim was shot in the chest while sitting in his pickup truck in the 5000 block of Cottage Street in the city’s Frankford section.

Read the entire story here.