Mugging in Glebe Park

What an intriguing example of naturally occurring crime prevention. Members of a community (some would say subculture) creating respect for place and others, setting rules and boundaries according to their own values and norms. Seems like it was working too. What a shame it wasn’t tapped in to by Police to see how it could continue without breaking too many of the “rules”.

matt31221 said :

Weed is alot worse than alcohol and tobacco. Why do you think it is illegal in most modern countires? Ask any ACT policing officer what they think of weed and what they have seen it do to people and your views will be changed.

Puh lease, do people still fall for that?

matt31221 said :

Weed is alot worse than alcohol and tobacco. Why do you think it is illegal in most modern countires? Ask any ACT policing officer what they think of weed and what they have seen it do to people and your views will be changed.

What a naive statement. I don’t even want to try and explain how weak the “if it is illegal it must be more harmful than anything that is legal” argument is.

yellowsnow said :

The Dark said :

As some of you may remember from previous posts I know alot of the glebe park ‘unsavory types’ (some could consider me one of them), specifically the large group of black clad youth that congregate there on a regular basis. The reason i bring this up is that incidents like this have been prevented by us countless times over the last few years since we discovered Glebe to be a good place to waste our youths, regardless of the circumstances, whether it be physically intervening in people being assaulted/robbed, bags snatched, creepers lurking around the toilets, etc …

Fight Club?

There seems to be one operating in Telopea Park too

Haha, nah, not us, that’d be the Kanangra flats ‘community day’ events

#11 Yep, that’d be us.

@Watson – exactly my point man, skateboarders might be seen as an inconvenience to some, but look what happened when they were taken away.

@deref – Haha, always good to hear positive feedback

@buzz2600 – As much as I appreciate all the emo cracks, especially how much you point out that we’re just ‘expressing ourselves’, maybe you could just shut up, either way, Ill overlook them and point out that i already mentioned that we are the ones dressed primarily in black with and are fairly distinctive, the dudes running around mugging people are, im assuming, not of that description.

Stevian said :

matt31221 said :

Deref said :

The Dark said :

…I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies…

None needed. What a delight to read a well-written post from a yoof.

Well done, that lad! Long may you and your mates enjoy hanging out in Glebe Park.

+1!!

Except @ ‘the Dark’, don’t fall for believing that weed is a harmless drug. It is some bad stuff that can slowly make you dangerously psychotic and lead you to harder drugs.

Both false statements, a causal link between Cannabis use and pyschosis is tenuous at best and even those researchers who support the link say it brings on a psychotic break 2-3 years earlier than it would normally appear in those with a predisposition. It simply hastens the inevitable. And as for leading to harder drugs, it exists in criminal milleu if it were not illegal itself it would be no more of a gateway drug than alcohol or tobacco. Cannabis does have it’s negative effects, but you’re just scare-mongering

Weed is alot worse than alcohol and tobacco. Why do you think it is illegal in most modern countires? Ask any ACT policing officer what they think of weed and what they have seen it do to people and your views will be changed.

matt31221 said :

Deref said :

The Dark said :

…I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies…

None needed. What a delight to read a well-written post from a yoof.

Well done, that lad! Long may you and your mates enjoy hanging out in Glebe Park.

+1!!

Except @ ‘the Dark’, don’t fall for believing that weed is a harmless drug. It is some bad stuff that can slowly make you dangerously psychotic and lead you to harder drugs.

Like the scotch single malt currently being discussed so lovingly in another thread of the Riot Act. Before you know it you’ll be buying an ‘amusing’ bow-tie and boring on about shares. Watch out. It happens.

Stevian said :

Cannabis does have it’s negative effects, but you’re just scare-mongering

Which makes you lose credibility because young people aren’t all stupid.

My only advice would be, don’t smoke it every day if you’re naturally lazy and socially awkward!

matt31221 said :

Deref said :

The Dark said :

…I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies…

None needed. What a delight to read a well-written post from a yoof.

Well done, that lad! Long may you and your mates enjoy hanging out in Glebe Park.

+1!!

Except @ ‘the Dark’, don’t fall for believing that weed is a harmless drug. It is some bad stuff that can slowly make you dangerously psychotic and lead you to harder drugs.

Both false statements, a causal link between Cannabis use and pyschosis is tenuous at best and even those researchers who support the link say it brings on a psychotic break 2-3 years earlier than it would normally appear in those with a predisposition. It simply hastens the inevitable. And as for leading to harder drugs, it exists in criminal milleu if it were not illegal itself it would be no more of a gateway drug than alcohol or tobacco. Cannabis does have it’s negative effects, but you’re just scare-mongering

Deref said :

The Dark said :

…I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies…

None needed. What a delight to read a well-written post from a yoof.

Well done, that lad! Long may you and your mates enjoy hanging out in Glebe Park.

+1!!

Except @ ‘the Dark’, don’t fall for believing that weed is a harmless drug. It is some bad stuff that can slowly make you dangerously psychotic and lead you to harder drugs.

The Dark said :

…I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies…

None needed. What a delight to read a well-written post from a yoof.

Well done, that lad! Long may you and your mates enjoy hanging out in Glebe Park.

Buzz2600 said :

The Dark said :

As some of you may remember from previous posts I know alot of the glebe park ‘unsavory types’ (some could consider me one of them), specifically the large group of black clad youth that congregate there on a regular basis…

Can I point out to you that the crime was allegedly committed by four teenage youths. I wonder how the police or anyone else in the park are expected to recognise the difference between supposably nice emos just “expressing themselves” and these not-so-nice scum bags? I’m all for emos being allowed to “express themselves” but seriously?

It’s sad that Glebe Park has decended into such a no-go zone for 99% of the canberra population. Its a lovely space and more should be done to make it people friendly. There used to be a food court type place there with music etc. I say increase lighting, open up some cafes and open air markets and music etc so that it becomes more than a place for pervs and pimply youths to smoke dope and possible vigilanties/criminals – depending on their mood.

We can only feel safe if there is a Dusk to Dawn curfew on everybody, supplemented be a Dawn to Dusk curfew, any one breaking curfew will be subject to summary execution.
You know it makes sense

Ben_Dover said :

I await violet68 coming along to tell us how ACT parks are to blame for this mugging by creating Glebe park, and it’s not the muggers fault as they are mentally ill drug addicts and therefore totally absolved of any personal responsibility..

How dare you say that, it couldn’t be ACT Parks fault, it is definitely the young photographer’s fault for feeling that anything that he owns is his and his exclusively, that’s the fault of society, thinking just because they went out, got a job and spent a couple of grand on a camera, he should have given that money to the mentally ill and the druggies, you know, because they can’t be bothered to get a job.

I feel sorry for the young fella! Hope you get your stuff back! I’ll help anyway that I can.

The Dark said :

As some of you may remember from previous posts I know alot of the glebe park ‘unsavory types’ (some could consider me one of them), specifically the large group of black clad youth that congregate there on a regular basis…

Can I point out to you that the crime was allegedly committed by four teenage youths. I wonder how the police or anyone else in the park are expected to recognise the difference between supposably nice emos just “expressing themselves” and these not-so-nice scum bags? I’m all for emos being allowed to “express themselves” but seriously?

It’s sad that Glebe Park has decended into such a no-go zone for 99% of the canberra population. Its a lovely space and more should be done to make it people friendly. There used to be a food court type place there with music etc. I say increase lighting, open up some cafes and open air markets and music etc so that it becomes more than a place for pervs and pimply youths to smoke dope and possible vigilanties/criminals – depending on their mood.

I await violet68 coming along to tell us how ACT parks are to blame for this mugging by creating Glebe park, and it’s not the muggers fault as they are mentally ill drug addicts and therefore totally absolved of any personal responsibility..

Years and years ago they banned the skateboarders from the bus interchange near where I lived. Immediately people started complaining that the place was now completely deserted at night and they felt more unsafe than before. So they overturned the ban.

Personally I would be happy to put up with obnoxious teenagers if it means that I can walk through there at night without fear for my persnal safety. But I can imagine not all Canberrans would trust the teenagers to not mug them… And lots would not be willing to overlook the underage drinking and drug use.

The Dark said :

#8

From all over Canberra, mostly northside, there’s nowhere else for us to go.

I use the term ‘kids’ loosely, Most of us are in our mid to late teens.

I’m guessing your part of the group that sits in the corner near the stage drinking and carrying on then?

#8

From all over Canberra, mostly northside, there’s nowhere else for us to go.

I use the term ‘kids’ loosely, Most of us are in our mid to late teens.

The Dark said :

As some of you may remember from previous posts I know alot of the glebe park ‘unsavory types’ (some could consider me one of them), specifically the large group of black clad youth that congregate there on a regular basis. The reason i bring this up is that incidents like this have been prevented by us countless times over the last few years since we discovered Glebe to be a good place to waste our youths, regardless of the circumstances, whether it be physically intervening in people being assaulted/robbed, bags snatched, creepers lurking around the toilets, etc …

Fight Club?

There seems to be one operating in Telopea Park too

The Dark said :

As some of you may remember from previous posts I know alot of the glebe park ‘unsavory types’ (some could consider me one of them), specifically the large group of black clad youth that congregate there on a regular basis. The reason i bring this up is that incidents like this have been prevented by us countless times over the last few years since we discovered Glebe to be a good place to waste our youths, regardless of the circumstances, whether it be physically intervening in people being assaulted/robbed, bags snatched, creepers lurking around the toilets, etc, or even just being there with a noticeable presence with a view of a large portion of the park that would make any would be muggers think twice, especially around the afternoon and into the evening (often fairly late). The crimes being committed in glebe changed from being assaults/muggings/rapes/bad things, to some underage drinking and then some pot smoking amongst a small minority, which i know is still generally frowned apon, but it hurt no-one and still hurts no-one. Recently the police came out in force targeting us for this behavior and unfortunately drove most of us off, thus almost eliminating this FREE potentially crime preventing fixture in a place that is known to have its share of opportunity based crimes, after all prevention is better than the cure or am i wrong?

I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies, my point being, is that a few months ago, a clearly visible mugging being committed at 7pm on a friday night in glebe park would have been met with the 4 muggers fleeing the scene empty handed after being confronted by a large number of ‘riled up’ youth or simply walking straight past the potential victim after thinking against it due to the number of witnesses, both being a more favorable outcome to this poor bloke getting done over, if it weren’t for the police wasting there time hassling teenagers over trivial things.

I am intrigued. These kids, who are no longer there, from where do they hail? School aged?

As some of you may remember from previous posts I know alot of the glebe park ‘unsavory types’ (some could consider me one of them), specifically the large group of black clad youth that congregate there on a regular basis. The reason i bring this up is that incidents like this have been prevented by us countless times over the last few years since we discovered Glebe to be a good place to waste our youths, regardless of the circumstances, whether it be physically intervening in people being assaulted/robbed, bags snatched, creepers lurking around the toilets, etc, or even just being there with a noticeable presence with a view of a large portion of the park that would make any would be muggers think twice, especially around the afternoon and into the evening (often fairly late). The crimes being committed in glebe changed from being assaults/muggings/rapes/bad things, to some underage drinking and then some pot smoking amongst a small minority, which i know is still generally frowned apon, but it hurt no-one and still hurts no-one. Recently the police came out in force targeting us for this behavior and unfortunately drove most of us off, thus almost eliminating this FREE potentially crime preventing fixture in a place that is known to have its share of opportunity based crimes, after all prevention is better than the cure or am i wrong?

I know this has turned into a rant, my apologies, my point being, is that a few months ago, a clearly visible mugging being committed at 7pm on a friday night in glebe park would have been met with the 4 muggers fleeing the scene empty handed after being confronted by a large number of ‘riled up’ youth or simply walking straight past the potential victim after thinking against it due to the number of witnesses, both being a more favorable outcome to this poor bloke getting done over, if it weren’t for the police wasting there time hassling teenagers over trivial things.

Watson said :

7pm is not exactly late. It’s barely dark by then.

It’s 7pm now, look out your window. You wouldn’t catch me walking down a path known for muggings in this “light”

Henry82 said :

Not sure why anyone would walk through there at night. there have been more than enough assaults, perverts, muggings and vandals to know its not a safe place at night.

http://region.com.au/tag/glebe-park

The nighttime doesn’t constrain some of them either..a few stories of daylight perv spottings..Setting up lunchtime camp in the low bushes behind the Parkroyal for a titillating view of a lunchtime lover’s tryst..

Henry82 said :

Not sure why anyone would walk through there at night. there have been more than enough assaults, perverts, muggings and vandals to know its not a safe place at night.

http://region.com.au/tag/glebe-park

7pm is not exactly late. It’s barely dark by then.

Not sure why anyone would walk through there at night. there have been more than enough assaults, perverts, muggings and vandals to know its not a safe place at night.

http://region.com.au/tag/glebe-park

About time we hired some armed guards to stake out Glebe Park.

…or if you see a Nikon D7000 with a 24-70 f2.8 lens being traded in somewhere. See more info on the Canberra Photographers group on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/canberra_act/discuss/72157627610296807/