This past Thursday evening a neighbor on the 600 block of S.Laurel saw 3 juveniles start to boost a bicycle off the front porch of a student house across the street. She bravely told them to put it back and called the police. The would be thieves left before the police could arrest them, but the neighbor’s daughter shared with the police a cell phone video of the incident.
This is the time of year when police see a lot of these type of crimes happening. Please stay alert.
WTVR recently had a report on illegal dumping in City neighborhoods.
Excerpt:
Farmer claims this year is the worst yet. She claims as renters move out, their belongings move out to the curb or the alley. Sometimes the items remain in public right of ways for weeks.
“This one has been out here over two weeks,” said Farmer as she points to several old mattresses left in the alley behind her home.
It sometimes takes weeks before someone calls the city for a bulk pick up. Farmer believes it’s wrong to create such a poor reflection of the neighborhood and to assume someone else is supposed to pick up after you.
“I think its people who are used to their parents taking care them,” said Farmer.
City councilman Parker Agelasto recently captured video of an illegal dump near his home.
“it’s out of control essentially,” said Agelasto, who claims he sees similar messes all the time all across Richmond.
He was so appalled by the recent dump however that he called Richmond’s Department of Public Works and the Richmond Police.
“We’re talking huge amounts of garbage that’s not their primary function, that’s cleaning up an illegal activity,” said Agelasto.
Agelasto then stuck around to capture images of the DPW clean- up. He claims DPW is backlogged with calls to pick up what’s been illegally dumped and it’s putting strain on them and the police to have to correct other people’s mistakes. He says it’s time for the city to crack down on those who do it.
“Wherever you’ve moved, we’re going to find you and you’re going to be held accountable for what you’ve done, you can’t do this,” said Agelasto.
Richmond Police also acknowledge a huge problem with illegal dumping in the city, mainly in area where there is a high density of student housing.
From Councilperson Parker Agelasto’s FaceBook page:
Thank you Catie Beck for featuring the issue about illegal dumping in Richmond. Many people are concerned about the timeliness of bulk pick-ups; however, I believe we need to turn attention to the problems that are taxing City resources such that they impeded our regular response times. This includes the illegal dumping that occurs when rental properties turn over near the beginning and end of the school semester.
I ask that all City residents that witness such activity 1) explain that such activity is illegal and request that the individuals correct the issue, 2) document it with your cellphone, and 3) report it to the Richmond Police prior to requesting a bulk pick-up.
As a reminder, garbage must be properly bagged and in placed trash cans. If it is more than can be reasonably accommodated in the trash can, it is the resident’s responsibility to take it to the City dump. You may call for a bulk pick-up; however, there is generally a fee for this service.
If the illegal dumping persists, a lot of “personally identifiable information” can be obtained by simply looking at the garbage. The Richmond Police Department will use this information to investigate and make an arrest for a Class 1 Misdemeanor.
Certainly, this site has reported on on this problem in the past (here, here, here, here, and here) and it is exciting to have our new Councilperson address it. Hopefully his activism will spur more parties (landlords, VCU, THE RENTERS THEMSELVES, etc.) to take some responsibility.
Letter sent to Richmond Chief of Police:
Dear Police Chief Tarasovic,
It has been eight months since the demolition of the historic Tredegar wall on city property below Oregon Hill. At a regularly scheduled meeting on June 25, 2013, the membership of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) approved a resolution asking for a thorough investigation into the identity of the entity responsible for the tragic loss of this important historic asset and the processing of this entity through our legal system.
On Tuesday, October 16, 2012, an Oregon Hill resident witnessed a bulldozer purposely demolishing the Tredegar wall on city property. Within an hour of the demolition, contractors were photographed stacking the bricks on pallets, presumably for removal.
According to articles in the Richmond Times Dispatch, contractor Liesfeld admits that it was the contractor that demolished the wall. In the Oct. 20th T-D, Liesfeld identified NewMarket as the firm that hired them to demolish the wall. Later NewMarket, Dominion and Venture Richmond all denied that they hired the contractor to demolish the wall. Who hired Liesfeld to demolish the Tredegar wall on city property and what was the purpose of the destruction of this historic asset?
Dominion was apparently responsible for hiring the contractors for the 2nd Street Connector project, but according to Times Dispatch articles, Dominion states that they did not hire Liesfeld, and Liesfeld was not a sub-contractor for the project. Why was Liesfeld demolishing the 20+ section of the Tredegar wall if they were not a sub-contractor for the project or hired by Dominion?
The historically significant Tredegar wall was on city property and consequently was an important asset belonging to the citizens of Richmond, yet no effort has been made to identify the responsible party or to seek a suitable replacement wall in the exact location. This wall could possibly cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace.
The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, a legally registered corporation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hereby requests that an investigation begin immediately and that the responsible party/parties be identified and subjected to due process under applicable laws of the Commonwealth.
Sincerely
Jennifer Hancock
OHNA, President
Click here to see article that appeared in today’s Times Dispatch.
Click here, here, and here to read some of the previous coverage on this site.
From Richmond Police Department:
4th Precinct
THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
4/24/13 – 4/25/13 7:07 p.m. – 9:30 a.m.
600 block of China Street
An unknown person(s) broke into the vehicle and stole a wallet.
Dear Police Chief Tarasovic,
I would like to know who hired the contractor that destroyed the pre-Civil War Tredegar wall on city property, and the public would like to know if the entity that hired the contractor be held responsible. The reasonable citizens of Richmond assume that the laws against destruction of public property will be applied equally and that this destruction of public property will not be “swept under the rug.”
I would greatly appreciate it if you applied transparency to the case of the destruction of the Tredegar wall on city property.
Thank you very much for your assistance.
Scott Burger
Email sent March 23 (An earlier, similar email was sent by a neighbor in February and an even earlier email was sent last year to predecessor Chief Norwood). No responses received as of yet. I am hoping that Chief Tarasovic will be willing to speak to this issue tomorrow evening at the 5th District meeting.
From a February Times Dispatch article:
“I’m a transparent person,” Tarasovic said Tuesday after joining Mayor Dwight C. Jones in congratulating dozens of officers for winning awards. “I’ll tell you how I feel. I’m telling you how I feel now.”
“I believe in sunshine, and I think we will shine in the sun,” Tarasovic added, referring to transparency.
A neighbor reports that a flag was stolen last night from 909 Idlewood across the street from where Byrd House Market is held.
From Richmond Police:
4th Precinct
THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
4/15/13 – 4/16/13 11:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m.
600 block of South Pine Street
An unknown person(s) entered the unlocked vehicle and stole a purse and camera.
From Richmond Police:
4th Precinct
BURGLARY
4/4/13 8:40 p.m. – 10:32 p.m.
600 block of Spring Street
An unknown person(s) broke into the residence.4th Precinct
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
4/3/13 – 4/7/13 3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
600 block of Holly Street
An unknown person(s) stole a vehicle from the above location.
From Richmond Police:
4th Precinct
BURGLARY – COMMERCIAL
4/04/13 5:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
00 block of North Laurel Street
An unknown person(s) entered the Landmark Theater and stole beverages.
From the Richmond Police:
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
4/3/13 5:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
700 block of South Pine Street
An unknown person(s) stole a locked vehicle from the above location.