Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shawn on October 29, 2009 at 11:49pm

This just makes me sick! Thanks for the heads up John. My first thought was, someone had to have seen something! But then I figure folks probably thought that who ever was pulling the pipes out were working on the house.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wendy Sullivan on October 30, 2009 at 8:09am

I'll make a point to drive by when I'm around at night.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Margy Meath on October 30, 2009 at 5:31pm

OK- stupid questions..... but, WHERE do people sell this stuff?? Is it the scrap yard off of Chili near 390? Do the police follow up to see if someone has recently come in to sell a bunch of copper pipes? OR, is it 2nd rate plumbers who are re-using materials?
I sure hope that the police have some significant leads on this crap - it seems really clear that someone (s) is feeling BOLD enough to spend a lot of time on Trafalgar and do some pretty terrible things. I don't know why, but I continue to be astounded by the reckless disregard some people have for our neighborhood and property - it's very, very sad.
John, do Lisa and Kuo plan to stay at that house once it is restored??

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Boutet on October 30, 2009 at 6:57pm

Yes Margy. They are starting the process of finding out how much it is going to cost to fix the house up and what the insurance company will do. Hopefully their insurance company will do right by them.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by cy kastner on October 31, 2009 at 2:08pm

HEADLINE NEWS

Rochester home shot at on two different occasions,
then, fire bombed on a third. All events unopposed.
Last week, 202 Trafalgar is fire bombed again, destroying it,
an adjacent home and heavily damaging a third.
One week later, the last standing house in the incident
is broken into and robbed making this the fifth attack
in the block in less than a year.

The residents of 198 Trafalgar Street had been told
their home would be secure during the time they were
forced to live elsewhere.
The residents assumed that "secure" meant police protection.

The residents had purchased the 19th Ward house, only
a couple of months earlier and had moved from California.
They did not know enough to "not assume" they could relie
on police protection.

The remaining residents on Trafalgar are actively tying to
contact the Mayor of Gotham City and have him pick up
the "Bat Phone" as this is their only hope.

Others have suggested that 19th Warders surrender themselves
at the nearest drug house.

Historically, major events are followed by heightened security
and awareness efforts by local services and community institutions.
After a couple of violent attacks at the same location, it is reasonable to
presume that this block of Trafalgar should have been monitored closely.
It should have been one of the safest places in the city.

Instead, a sequence of five violent and destructive events at 202 Trafalgar
has still not raised a City response to the level of increased police presence.
It seems, those responsible for urban security are reluctant to learn
or just don't care.

Cy Kastner

cc: Mayor, Police Chief, etc

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Thomas Barnes on October 31, 2009 at 4:44pm

There are lots of places in town that buy scrap, so it's hard to pin down where the bad guys might go. While scrap dealers are getting a bit more cautious about buying stolen goods, traditionally the scrap trade has been pretty relaxed about the origin of the materials they buy. Even if a dealer is suspicious of someone selling a load of copper pipe, It's very easy to say that you're replacing the plumbing in your house.

As I understand it, pipe thieves only sell for scrap. Plumbers generally don't reuse materials, and might be a bit more suspicious of people offering them a "deal" on used pipe. I also can't imagine thieves would be that careful when pulling the pipes out of a house, so the pipe is probably in lousy shape.

Given that scrap metal prices have dropped considerably since a couple of years ago, my guess that the perps are probably drug addicts from relatively nearby. They'd have to be pretty desperate, since they'll only get $100 or so for their work.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nan Meyer on October 31, 2009 at 7:09pm

9 years ago I lost everything to a house fire, if Lisa and Kuo would like someone to talk to about all the losses that go with such an event they can contact me, besides the moral support, I have practical advise about the process

• ▶ Reply