The Observation Deck

On July 28th at about 10:50 A.M., a person called police regarding two males on bicycles that were allegedly "casing" vehicles on Lakeland by Detroit.

After a rather long encounter with the two suspected individuals, one was arrested while one was released.

One male named Anthony Parrish Jr. from E. 67th St. in Cleveland was arrested on charges of providing false information to law enforcement. Another male named Jamaal Aziz-Varner was given a "courtesy ride" to the W. 117th rapid station and released without charges.

While I feel that the police response in this case was excellent, I must say that there is a problem here. Why did these individuals make the trip from E. 67th St. and Garden Valley Ave. respectively, to allegedly cause trouble? This is not the first instance of this happening. What about Lakewood is appealing to these individuals? As much as Summers may try to tell us otherwise, Lakewood is one of the main Cleveland hubs for Heroin trafficking. I can name at least three corners to buy drugs in the city. Are they here for drugs? Are they looking for money to buy drugs with?

Is Lakewood known as the city where you buy the "good stuff"?

It should also be noted here that the suspects were young adults. It is no secret that there is an issue in Lakewood with crime among the youth. Does Summers have a plan to address it?

Sorry, I didn't get the three street corners where I could buy drugs, just kidding, seriously, it's a big problem, the biggest in our neighborhoods, not the hospital, or Lakewood Trash, it is the element of drugs and everything that goes with it, you name it, that is mainly what is threatening Lakewood. How do you stop it? So many infractions with so few to defend, how? It's like a teacher with 100 kids to attend to. What is the solution?

Lori

Thanks, I wondered how this ended,


One of the two men, cuffed over on Detroit Ave. about a block from the Silver SUV they were casing on Lakeland,


Other man behind the Police SUV being questioned. They talked for about an hour, while going back and forth between the two young men and the Silver SUV.


You can see his shoes in this shot.


Cuffed and put in the back of the police car.

.

In the past year, I have twice been a victim of someone going through the neighborhood at night and opening up my unlocked car doors and stealing whatever they can. The last time they took brand new fishing rods and all the change in the ash tray. On the previous theft, I recall the policeman said they had two suspects on video tape from a nearby apartment surveillance camera on Lake Avenue on a bicycles in the very early morning hours.

I never heard anything so I suspect it continues. I agree with Jackie--it is likely drugs and will be difficult to stop.

It would seem that the "broken windows" theory might be a solution.

Don't let the sun go down on your unlocked car doors.

I love Lakewood and in 18 years in the "dreaded" Ward 4 have not had so much as a basketball stolen, we remove valuables and lock up the cars every night.