nbc12 is reporting a massive plant theft:

Thieves, armed with green thumbs, are on the run after they stole two dozen potted plants from a Richmond man’s front porch. It happened at a home on West Cary Street near Mulberry Street.

Chris Morano says he woke up Friday morning and what he found was shocking. Half of his front-porch garden was gone. Almost 30 plants, totaling around $150, were stolen.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/05/almost-30-plants-stolen-from-front-porch/

The top two crimes Richmond Police see are destruction of property and hit and run – and the neighborhood hit the most is the Fan.

In 2011 and 2012 combined, RPD saw almost 7,000 (6,668) incidents of destruction of property. That’s the most out of any crime category on the department’s list. 484 of them were in the Fan – the most when compared to other neighborhoods.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/05/the-fan-leads-the-city-in-destruction-of-property/

Lt.Erlan E. Marshall’s Sector 313 May 2013 report (PDF) is now available for all points between Harrison and Boulevard:

During the 28 day period (April 2 through April 29) Sector 313 showed an increase in crime in all most major areas. Four robberies occurred during the period compared to zero during the same time period the year before. Owing to the excellent work of the Focus Mission Team commanded by Sergeant James Wilson, and some outstanding investigative work by Detective Cutshall the four robberies have been cleared with the arrest of a juvenile. All four robberies are related.

Sector 313 recorded Ten (10) burglaries during the reporting period, compared to eight (8) during the same period in 2012. We would like to encourage citizens to check and double check their doors and windows.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/05/sector-313-crime-report-for-may/

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
4/20/13 10:20 p.m. – 10:36 p.m.
2600 block of West Main Street
A male reported an unknown male assaulted him.

ROBBERY
4/26/13 11:14 p.m.
2801 W. Broad St.
A clerk reported an unknown male robbed the business. (Subway)

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
4/27/13 1:47 a.m.
300 block of Granby Street
A female reported a known male shot at her. Warrants have been obtained.

THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
4/25/13 – 4/26/13 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 a.m.
1800 block of Hanover Avenue
An unknown person(s) broke into the vehicle and stole a parking pass.

THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
4/27/13 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
1500 block of West Main Street
An unknown person(s) entered the vehicle and stole medication.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/recent-crime-incidents-in-the-area/

On the late evening of Wednesday, April 24 or early morning of Thursday, April 25, thieves stole all four tires off of a car parked in a tenant parking space on the 1800-block of Monument Avenue, specifically the alley running parallel to Monument Ave and Park Ave between Allen and Meadow. Further, the thieves stole all four wheels and tires and left the car up on blocks. The Richmond Police Department have been notified.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/wheels-stolen-car-left-on-blocks-in-park-avenue-alley/

RVA News brings some clarification with Dude, where can I park my bike?:

WHAT ABOUT LOCKING YOUR BIKE UP TO STOP SIGNS, METERS, AND BIKE RACKS?

It’s still perfectly legal to lock your bike to City-owned signs, meters, and bike racks.1 The new ordinance only addresses how inoperable bikes and ignored bikes are dealt with.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/confused-about-any-of-the-new-bicycle-regulations/

Lt.Erlan E. Marshall’s Sector 313 April 2013 report (PDF) is now available for all points between Harrison and Boulevard:

During the 28 day period (March 5 through April 1) Sector 313 showed a decrease in crime in most major areas with the exception of robberies. Four robberies occurred during the period compared to zero during the same time period the year before. However three of the four robberies have been cleared by arrest and one case has been unfounded.

Sector 313 recorded eleven (11) burglaries during the reporting period. The exact same number of burglaries was recorded during the same period in 2012. We would like to encourage citizens to check and double check their doors and windows. Four of the burglaries were a result of homes being unlocked.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/sector-313-crime-report-for-april/

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with four robberies within two hours in the Fan Friday night. The search continues for other suspects in the crimes.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/16-year-old-arrested-for-recent-robberies/

@CharlieDiradour: Rash of armed robberies in #Fandistrict last night. N. Allen, 1600 blks Grace and Monument. Reported one suspect in custody.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/report-of-multiple-armed-robberies-last-night/

Local artist served ten months in prison after being convicted of vandalizing and destruction of property back in 2004. He recently released Gated Community, the first of three limited edition books discussing his graffiti and incarceration. From a long interview in RVA News, here is Broth’s take on punishment for graffiti artists:

HAS YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT HOW GRAFFITI ARTISTS ARE PUNISHED CHANGED SINCE YOU WERE JAILED?

I obviously never felt that jail was an appropriate punishment for graffiti. But I also won’t claim to have a perfect solution or response. Incarceration at the cost of taxpayers is just nonsensical. Put nonviolent offenders to work on community service projects–and not some bullshit task like stacking books at the library. I think the main thing that needs to be addressed is getting people to understand how their actions have an impact on their community. Feeling like you are an important part of your community is essential to preventing people from painting graffiti, slinging drugs, or getting drunk and peeing on somebody’s front porch.

I know it might seem illogical or logistically difficult, but people should feel compelled to attend neighborhood association and planning meetings in order to gain a better understanding of how their actions affect those around them. And naturally, for graffiti, you should be paying restitution.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/mickael-broth-on-graffiti-and-incarceration/

Richmond police Capt. Angela Greene said the victim had just gotten out of her car to go in the store [CVS at Broad & Boulevard] when she was confronted by a man with a handgun who demanded money. The man grabbed the victim’s purse and ran north on Boulevard, Greene said.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/woman-robbed-at-broad-street-cvs/

The Richmond Police Department needs the public’s help to identify the men in the attached photos who are persons of interest in the armed robbery of two people Friday night.

Just after 2 a.m. on March 29, two men were walking in the 400 block of Birch Street when they were approached and robbed at gunpoint by two unknown men.

The first suspect is described as a black male with short hair and a thin build. He is approximately 17 to 21 years old and between 5’10” to 5’11” tall.

The second suspect is described as a black male with a thin build, approximately 17 to 21 years old and between 5’7” and 5’8” tall.

Both men were last seen wearing all dark clothing.

Anyone with any information about these men or this crime is asked to call Detective William Cutshall at 646-1028 or Crime Stoppers at 780-1000. Citizens can also text Crime Stoppers at 274637, using the key word “ITip” followed by your tip. Both Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/04/birch-street-robbery-suspects-sought/

No shots were fired and no one was injured in the robbery, which occurred at 2:16 a.m. at the intersection of Lombardy Street and Grove Avenue and led to an increased presence in the area by Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University police.
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The two victims told Richmond police they were walking on Grove when they were confronted by two suspects, one of whom was brandishing a small, semiautomatic handgun with a laser sight attached to the bottom of the weapon.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/03/armed-robbery-at-lombardy-and-grove/

The vandal that tags “NOBL and “PB” has been identified. Richmond Police are looking for property owners that have matching damages and would like to press charges. Please contact Officer Hawkins Kuper 804-646-1940 or Ward.Kuper@richmondgov.com for more details.

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/03/police-identify-nobl-pb-tagger/

Style Weekly is reporting a jump in DUI arrests around VCU:

Virginia Commonwealth University police have seen a 70-percent increase in drunken-driving arrests so far this school year.

Seven and a half months into the year, there have been 145 arrests. During the entire 2011-’12 school year, which ran from Aug. 1 to July 30, VCU police reported 186 drunken-driving arrests.

But that’s not necessarily because more people are drinking and driving, says Christopher Preuss, the university’s assistant police chief. He attributes the increase to three officers who are “extremely prolific at DUI arrests.”

VIA: Fan of the Fan
http://fanofthefan.com/2013/03/spike-in-dui-arrests-near-vcu/