A woman said she was grabbed from behind and robbed at gunpoint near 12th and Republican early Thursday morning.
The victim told police she was walking near 12th ave E and E Republican with her headphones on around 2:30a Thursday morning when she was grabbed from behind by a man carrying a pistol. The suspect grabbed the woman’s bag and handed it to an accomplice who helped rifle through to find her wallet. The duo then demanded her phone before running away westbound on Republican.
The woman was not injured in the hold-up.
Police were called to the scene about 30 minutes after the robbery as the woman went to a nearby address so she could call 911. A search of the area for the suspects was not successful. The robbers were described as two black males in their 20s with the suspect holding the pistol described as wearing a grey hoodie with a grey bandana over his face.
CHS reported on another armed robbery attempt last week on Melrose involving a victim who reportedly refused to hand over his possessions to an attacker — even with a pistol pointing at him.
She should pick a more well lit place to but her dope…..30 minutes until a call…yeah….couldn’t find a phone.
…but man, it is really, really stupid to be walking around in headphones by yourself at 2:30 in the morning. Don’t be such a ready victim, people.
She’s new to the neighborhood and lives by herself. She works at a local salon and she went out after work and which is why she was out late. Since she lives by herself, and the scumbags took her phone, she had no means to call the police. She had to go home and log on to Facebook in order to communicate with her sister. I agree that anyone walking alone late at night should be more vigilant, but please don’t imply that she somehow deserved this. It wasn’t a drug deal, it was two f*ck heads taking horrible advantage of the situation.
I don’t think anyone thinks anyone ever “deserves” this. It just seems that over and over, people bopping along with their headphones on get held up. It gets reported all the time, yet people still get taken this way– they just don’t get it.
It’s not safe to be tuned out of your surroundings on CapHill (or anywhere). Put the headphones away and pay attention.
I work in Pioneer Sq until 1:00am. I walk to Pine and 3rd for my bus back to the Hill, headphones and Ipod tucked away so as not to appear distracted. More often, I choose to not even have my Ipod with me. I also never take more than $5 with me to work.
Music is a wonderful thing, but not at the risk of being jumped.
As far as finding a public phone ANYWHERE in America, the choices are diminishing quickly.
I’m really glad she’s OK. I’m amazed at how quick people are to blame the victim. These experiences can be incredibly traumatizing. I hope she’s able to look past it and find joy in life on the hill. Best wishes
I really don’t recall the Cap Hill SPD ever arresting anyone or cracking any cases. Am I wrong? How about some please walking the beat?
“She’s new to the neighborhood and lives by herself.”
All the more reason why she shouldn’t be walking around alone with headphones on don’t you think? Based on the story, it seems like she has no gut instinct and lost her will for self-preservation.
AHA! We have an expert here, or a troll!
Think about the area you’re talking about– the area we hear about people being robbed for iPhones or more. It stretches from at least Cherry to Mercer, from 19th to Melrose. How may cops would it take to walk that beat? And that doesn’t even count the Central District, where it’s rampant too. Or downtown. There’s no substitute for being aware of your surroundings, the cops can never cover an area that large.
* Avoid walking while listening to an IPod or MP-3, Walkman, Discman, etc. with earbuds or headphones; this cuts down your awareness of what’s happening around you and impedes your ability to hear oncoming traffic.
* Avoid walking alone at night. As much as possible, walk or travel with a friend, even during the daytime.
Oh that’s cute, because SPD can be at every square inch at every given moment. Because they SHOULD Know that scum will be targeting 12th and repub last night – right?
Seriously. We need cops to do their jobs…. to serve and protect, right? Yeah right. Only if they’re radaring the highways. The fucked up thing is, I live on Bellevue and Denny and hear cops ALL day and ALL night…. when it gets to around 1am… nothing. Where do they all go? The streets are DEAD from 1am to around 5:30am. That’s when the CRIME happens. Get smart, SPD. it’s not a good look to have tons of open cases for the same area.
Its he shift change, I think it’s around 4:00am, but there’s generally reports to file so they head back into the station early.
While I understand that tuning out and not being aware is asking for trouble, honestly does anyone think the outcome would have been any different? A couple thugs roaming the hill looking for opportunity, they don’t care if that opportunity is listening to music or not.
Pack, spray or pistol. Learn how to identify a bb gun which is what most of these assholes carry. If the business end has a small little hole then pull out your defense and let them know. If you’re not willing to defend yourself, stay home when the lights get low because that’s when the shitheads come out. Learn your opponents tricks and know what to look for. At least get yourself ready instead of letting them move first. When they act, you act faster. Train ourself, learn to shoot, don’t be a victim.
Sounds like the two guys that I saw walking around my car looking in all the windows here on Capitol Hill. People, please be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially when it’s dark out. I hope these dudes get caught soon…..
and you surely called the Police about those two dudes casing your car and gave them a description, right?
Great point!
So many cannot even afford a cell or smart phone and maybe in distress. With public phone disappearing all of them have less chance to get help…
WTF to the people who think that if you’re not wearing headphones, you won’t get robbed, raped or shot?
Used cellphones are free and in many cities, the homeless and battered women are given cellphones so that they can call the police to report crimes. Even a disconnected cellphone will still work to dial 911.
If the police really wanted to catch cellphone thieves they could. Cellphones can usually be tracked and if the U.S. did what Australia’s government does, require cell service providers to make stolen phones unusable, rates of stolen cellphones would plummet.
I don’t expect them to catch everyone – just someone. For real, I live right in the area and read this blog regularly and i never hear about one of these guys being caught. I hardly find it unreasonable that there should be some cops walking the beat, particularly when then damn precinct is on 12th. So many damn apologists for the criminals and lack of police effectiveness on the Hlll. Exasperating!!
Of course the blame for a crime falls entirely on the criminal. But there is no rational reason to make it easy. That’s just common sense.
Well could someone explain to me how not wearing headphones will stop two men with guns from robbing a lone woman at 2:30 am?
I was robbed, at gunpoint by two men for my wallet and phone and keys and backpack and headphones which were balled up hidden in my change purse which was in my pocket. The robbers came running up behind me and to the side of me covered in bandannas, gloves and hoods.
***EVEN WITH NO HEADPHONES ON*** I was still robbed at gunpoint. I guess had I not been wearing my hat, my peripheral vision would have been better and I could have known to just take off running or kick the guns out of their hands. I sometimes wonder if the commenters here are former stick-up artists to have so much sympathy for the criminals and hatred toward crime victims and people who wear headphones.
Same ol’ crime, same ol’ urban thugs as perps.
So it’s her fault because she was wearing headphones?
or if she hadn’t been, but had been on the phone with a friend, it would be her fault for being on the phone right?
or if she had a purse on her shoulder it would be her fault for not tucking her money away right?
or if she had on a skirt then she’s making herself look like an easier target and she’s lucky she didn’t get raped right?
or if she had mace and tried to use it and she got shot, that’d be her fault too huh?
way to support your fellow community member who went through a traumatizing event. this is not a stupid girl, she may even be the woman who cuts your hair or the girl behind you in line for coffee. she might have been your sister or your friends girlfriend. maybe then she wouldn’t be blamed for being victimized.
why is it that for the commenters that are blaming the victim its easy for you to say, ”if she did this, or if she shouldn’t of had this,” when you get robbed obviously its when you least expect it! Robberies can happen anytime, with or without headphones on you are a target to any money hungry, low life, broke ass person. Its like telling an innocent driver that gets hit by a drunk driver, that they shouldn’t of been driving between the hours of 11 pm ~ 4 am on the weekend coz that’s when more drunk drivers are out. I’m sure this hasn’t happened to the ones that is quick to blame. If you get robbed and you are as quick to get blamed as what your action was at gun point then you will understand ”she should of done this, or shouldn’t of been….” is not necessary.
They know there are easy pickins around these parts.
Two guys got my attention at 7-11 on 15th and not in a good way. They were both about 6’2″- 6’3″, one a gray hoodie and gray do-rag, the other with darker hoodie. Check the video Mar 9, 12:25PM to about 12:40PM. While this is the middle of the day (i.e. 14 hours prior), might be worth a look.
You cracked the code on this one! Total BS.
The issue with headphones or talking on the phone is that it takes away your sense of hearing and allows people to sneak up on you. Criminals specifically go for targets that are not aware of their surroundings, it gives them the advantage of surprise with less chance of being identified.