Smash & Grab, South Alexander St. area

[Eva Hopkins]

(Long, & contains mature language.)

I have lived in cities for most of my life, only retreating to the 'burbs when there was too sweet of a housing deal to pass up. Although I love the diversity & rich cultures of city livin', I see how people get driven away.

My car was just broken into. CLICK HERE TO SEE PICS.

OK, "just" is the wrong word. It happened sometime between 10:30 pm last night, when I parked the car, & now (8 am). They broke one of the windows, ripped out my car stereo, pried open the trunk & may have damaged the speakers as well, who can say. I'm so freaked out by the broken glass & the half-hour hold time before I was allowed to speak to an actual police officer, it's all a blur.

My car, as most of you know, is an unassuming lil' beast: I nicknamed it "the Breadbox" when I bought it. It's a dark green 2000 Toyota Echo, gets about 34 mpg, has a few stickers on it. It has about 173K miles (BTW, I love to road trip!). Perhaps the thieves debated stealing the car itself until they saw the mileage.

The Breadbox has been broken into once before. I was in the DC area visiting pals; specifically, I was there for a concert @ Nation. (My memory has gone fuzzy, I don't recall if that was the MLWTTKK show or the Siouxsie & the Banshees concert that night.)

I had gone to the club w/ a pal of mine; he had driven there in his car, & I follwed in mine, since we were headed in different destinations after the show. At this particular club, Nation, there was a line of crackheads hanging around where clubgoers would park, asking for a dollar to "watch" your car. Since my car was packed full o' goodies for my weekend (lembic, pretty clothes), I opted to pay the bum who approached me. I'd done so before; my car had been fine. "What are you doing?" my pal demanded, as he saw me fumbling w/ my purse. "Paying the crackhead," I said. "Don't do that!" he snapped, & pulled me away. Although I had doubts, I squashed them down.

About midway through my dancin' evening, there was an announcement: "People, there's been a smash & grab. NJ license .." & as soon as I heard that, I knew. My car was the one. That's what I get for not heeding my own instincts. Shoulda paid the crackhead.

Now it is 5 or 6 years later. I live in a city now, in a neighborhood I cheerfully describe as funky but don't walk around much at night. Though a neighbor on my same half-block had her car stolen off the street, I had grown relaxed & lax in my corner of the city. Surely my mini-economy shitbox (which is what some of my friends call it, 'cause of its non-power-windows & general cheapness) would not draw anyone's attention.

This morning, I staggered out pre-coffee to take my car to the Farmer's Market & get the locally-grown salad I am addicted to. I saw my window smashed; glass everywhere; stereo ripped out, wires hanging. Given the somewhat deeper than normal attachment I have to my car, I'm really angry. The stereo wasn't even near the top of the line, but it was nicer than what the car came with. I love my tunes; they are the fuel that makes all the hours spent behind the wheel a pleasure.

They have violated my sanctuary. THOSE FUCKERS. I sing to myself in that little car; it has schlepped me to cons, Pennsic, weddings, funerals & plain' ol cookout/go dancin' weekends. It's been in 3 accidents, none of which were my fault, & I've been rear-ended in it twice, once by a Chevy Escalade. (I now know what it would be like to be a football.) I have had the Breadbox for over 8 years. I vowed when I got it that I would maintain it well & have it last to over 200K. I come from a family of mechanics; maintenance is key.

Ah, & the classic cry of the overworked - I have things I gotta DO today! But nevermind all that, let's be on hold w/ the insurance company for over an hour total. AFTER being put on hold by the cops for over a half-hour. Not only have those raging shitheads stolen my stereo, they have stolen TIME from me, & time this close to the biggest convention of the year. A con where I have many meetings already scheduled, the con where Dark Ivory exists & the third issue is late, a con for which I leave with my home in great disorder from the last con - (that was last weekend's Paradise Toronto Con, BTW, more on that later.)

BRB..insurance has called me back..fun fun..

"This happened on the street, or your driveway?"

"The street." & as I heard myself say it, all kinds of thoughts flashed through my mind. It's the street because I can't afford a driveway, therefore a house; it's a street because I wanted to buck the system of fleeing to the suburbs or exurbs; it's the street becasue I like this street; it's a street because I'm not 100% sure this is where I want to "settle".

"Do you think you know the people who did this?"

"100% no way," I answered. "This is an urban area, it coulda been anyone." That thought made me even more glum.

I'll spare you the hour of phone agony which followed, but I can't get any repairs done until Monday. & it looks like rain outside. Looks like there will be a quick-fix w/ a trash bag & tape, how classy.

City, o city, how can I believe in you? How can I tell all my friends they're crazy for moving somewhere they feel safer? I shop in the city! I always tell people to buy indie & from mom & pop shops. I live in a way that very much supports the idea that the best use of our resources as a civilization is to return to the model of cities providing for their residents, having grocery stores, etc, in walking distance.

But then, my city, you mess with me. You send some guy to harass me as I'm walking alone on your streets. You'll not respond to me when there is noise & danger on my block. You'll smash in my cheapshit car window to take my relatively cheapshit stereo out. & you put your messy feet on my car to try to pry my trunk open w/ your bare hands, forcing my bumper to hang off.

I don't want to move. But as my dear pal Alexa keeps telling me, you have to feel safe where you live.

[Joe Varga]

Its a shame that these things happen for sure... :( I lived in Corn Hill for a while and there was a rash of break-ins there at the time... I had a little 1996 Ford Escort that was kinda rusty and had zero embellishments other than the stereo, a removable faceplate type... I always took the faceplate off, but I also left the door unlocked as there was nothing of value in there... The car was not sentimental by any means, just a mode of travel; but, I thought better to have them just open it and look inside than to have the window smashed only for them not to find anything of value... I know that prolly dun help matters now, but there it is none-the-less... sorry, again, to hear of your misfortune... :(

[Julie White]

I am so sorry to hear about what happened...at the same time, I personally know of two people in Brighton who just had their house broken into. Crime can happen anywhere. Yes, it happens more when there is more poverty, drug use, lack of connection to community, etc....issues that tend to affect urban communities more, because all the dollars are going to the suburbs.

But I know that doesn't make you feel any better, so again, I will just say I'm sorry.

[Eva Hopkins]

Thanks very much guys, Joe & Julie. My first significant discussion addition to this message board, & I'm all, hello, listen to me rant! ;) This is part of living in a city. It could always be worse. I am kinda bugged about the high-crime camera that has appeared a block & change away from me, though.

I've updated all my insurance, you betya.

The car is mostly taken care of, expect for the bodywork. It goes into the shop tomorrow. I have a much cheaper radio w/ a detachable faceplate. I take that sucker off all the time. It even beeps at you when you don't remove it.

I didn't complain when my car got egged a couple of times. Despite the diversity of the neighborhood, I felt it was because of the rainbow stickers on my car. But I had to speak up about this breakin, I've also mentioned it to a bunch of people who live near me; I thought they should be aware.

Thanks again for hearing me. I suppose this also means that my shy-in-person self needs to get out & meet more South Wedge people, so I feel like I have more of an aforementioned community to check in with.