The Place Where Ludington Talks
When Local News Goes Regional
If a crime wave hit the Ludington community during the heart of tourist season, would it make a sound in our local news? The answer seems to be a resounding "no". A report from TV 9 & 10 News that aired last night at six o'clock has it that in the City of Ludington more than 30 cars have been vandalized, it starts off with: "a Northern Michigan community wants to know why someone vandalized more than 30 cars."
But this is the point: I read the local paper and get Mason County Press updates on my Facebook page, and I even live among the affected places, yet I was not aware of this until I seen it from a report by a TV station based out of Traverse City and Cadillac. The Ludington Police Department's Facebook page has no guidance since June 26, when it wished Sergeant McMellen a happy retirement.
Chances are a couple of victims of this rash of violence reported the extent of the problem to the local "news sources" mentioned and got no response. Reporting such crimes does not help the local tourist industry, instead they will cover how well Friday Night Live went, and what the next weekend's events will be.
This link has a video where the news team out of Cadillac comes and interviews some victims, because apparently the police authorities are out searching for clues and leaving notes on windshields informing people they have just been ransacked. The story is given after the picture of a Ludington slashed tire.
Yet look at the two local websites and newspaper and there is nothing mentioned about it as of now in the MCP, just the usual news of prosecuting those few people that actually get caught, and other friendly news. The COLDNews recently had a story that downplayed the extent significantly, so as to give the impression that it was an isolated event (COLDNews story), and that thefts were the issue, not vandalism. Which contradicts TV 9 & 10 News, which reported that only three or four people reported things missing, but "Over Thirty Vehicles Vandalized In Mason County", which is its title.
Police are looking for whoever is responsible for ripping through more than 30 cars and trucks, 14 of them had their tires slashed.
The cars were vandalized in the city of Ludington in Mason County.
New at six, 9&10's Cody Boyer spoke to some of the victims today and has more details.
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People in Ludington are scared they might be hit next.
Someone is opening up their cars and taking out their things in search of anything valuable.
While police keep up the search, the community is opening up about the crimes.
"This is the first time something like this has ever happened," said Jaci Fredericks, who owns one of the ransacked cars.
Many living in Ludington are saying the same thing today.
Jaci Frederick's car was one of more than 30 ransacked in just the last two days.
"I got up and I noticed a white card underneath my windshield wiper," Fredericks said.
That card was from the police telling her that the inside of her car had been torn apart.
Now, Jaci is looking for answers.
"What are these kids looking for?" Fredericks said. "Parents need to keep an eye on their kids, not let them roam the streets at all hours of the night."
"It's very unusual," said Dean McClellan, another Ludington resident who said he was concerned about the crimes. "Normally, we have the high school right straight across the street and normally, there's a pretty good police presence here."
But it's happened here and with slashed tires now appearing across town, Jaci and others hope answers come soon.
"Normally, I feel very safe in this neighborhood and all the neighbors here tend to watch out for one another which is a very good thing," McClellan said.
Only three or four of the cars have had reports of missing items as of this morning.
Most of the cars were left unlocked.
http://www.9and10news.com/story/26037937/over-thirty-vehicles-vanda...
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Willy on
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I'm sure the courts will be very lenient on the criminals if they are juveniles. The criminals could be from out of town so I would assume that the police are looking for eye witnesses or hoping someone calls in with information about those that did this terrible deed. I can understand the LDN not reporting the story but the Mason County News should have ran something on it. Is it possible the police did not inform the local papers of the crimes?
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Permalink Reply by XLFD on
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In looking at the video, the 9 & 10 news crew uses victims of the crimes exclusively, rather than any member of the LPD, who would be investigating the cases. This and the exclusion of complete facts in the only story about it so far (even in today's COLDNews), means that it is likely Ludington Police Chief Barnett is choosing to suppress the information, and that enough of the victims contacted a receptive news agency so as to get the problem out to the public.
Just in from the MCP, is that a bunch of business' flags out at the Mason County Fairgrounds have been purloined in the latest local criminal effort: http://www.masoncountypress.com/2014/07/17/flags-stolen-from-fairgr...
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Permalink Reply by Dave on
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Why do people steal stuff like flags of this sort? I mean seriously, how many times was the person or persons dropped on their heads? Its one thing to steal something because you are desperate or because you know you can make money on it but to steal these flags is just dopey... can't really re-sell them since if you are the seller its likely you either stole them or know who stole them and I can't see that many people being all that excited to own a Walmart flag or any of the other flags.
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If I were the sheriff, I might start checking out Wal-Mart employees with an interest in flag-pole sitting. They're right nearby, the Wal-Mart flag is missing, and you know they all look like a suspicious bunch, LOL.
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Theft of the flags is truly low life but let's be real about this. Those flags were nothing by advertising signs. They might as well be small billboards attached to the fence. I did not find them to be a visual asset in the least. My question is why are private businesses allowed to advertise on public property? I'm sure they paid a fee for the privilage but I think this is bad business.
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Maybe that is the motive that Dave wondered about-- someone disgruntled with the display of these advertising gimmicks on public property, rather than this just being a random act of senseless hooliganism. Someone making a political statement-- forget Wal-Mart employees, check out the chatter on local websites that advise separation of private and public institutions, LOL.
Once these flags go back up, there will likely be an accompanying surveillance camera or two going up with them, so I would advise those who did this to not repeat their act, particularly since there are ten companies that would likely assist in the prosecution of this crime.
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Permalink Reply by stump on
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A number of years ago I had my car stolen from my back yard. They Grand Rapids police found it undamaged in a alley. Questioning our police on autos stolen in Ludington they replied that there had been 5 recent ones. Each on a tuesday night, one for the last 5 weeks, all cars were found in Grand Rapids. They figured that some one off the car ferry needed a ride to Grand Rapids. No info of this was in the media to warn the residents to lock their cars. Their theory was if they made it public that they would limit the possibility of catching the guy. Mine was only the 5th car!!!!!!! I thought then I lived in a safe neighbor hood, I still think that, but now I lock the doors.
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Thus works the great minds in our Ludington Police Department. Chances are if their hunches were right, the person involved in the thefts would probably not notice our local media putting out warnings, so that by the time your vehicle got picked, you or a neighbor may have seen the act or prevented it by securing your vehicle more properly.
Even if the crook was paying attention to the local media, it may have stopped them from doing it again if it was put out in the local press. But they think that somehow a couple of police officers on duty overnight will be able to catch the thief in the act. Dubious.
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Apparently MCP has an update on the vandalism... sort of... sounds like suspects are being sought
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I notice they use the term 'multiple larcenies and tire-slashings' rather than a more definite (and shocking figure of 30) number like TV 9&10 used. That's the problem you get when the police departments manage the information and the media report it without further digging.
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The description given would fit half the population or at least the skinny folks. To bad there isn't more information such as approximate age, height, race, ect. So be on the look out for a thin male and a thin female. Say, wouldn't that be profiling? Skinny people should raise holy he_l about this and claim discrimination. But then again, if you look on the bright side it's a positive for fat people because nobody suspects them. So I guess the police won't be casing out the local weight watchers meeting parking lot. As far as using the term "multiple larcenies" instead of giving the actual number, that would be akin to saying there are multiple people living in Ludington. Sounds like there's a cork stuck in the bottle of information available to the public on this crime. If the police want to solve this they will have to be a little freer with their information, that is if they actually do have information.
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Permalink Reply by AQUAMAN on
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Guess I got busy and missed this thread entirely earlier, some 2 weeks ago now. "Sounds like there's a cork stuck in the bottle of information available to the public on this crime". Great insight/post Willy. I totally concur. But the LDN again, a complicit partner with the LPD as we already know, cannot even bring themselves to better reporting than this? That's conspiracy at it's best if you ask me, or anyone else with half a brain! And of course, by all means, call J B Wells with any info. pertinent to the crimes. Yeah, right! You can also call him for facts on several other cases of importance that are still unsolved, and find him asleep at the wheel, or looking the other way if it means getting to the core of the problem. Gotta get them DUI's and domestic's under control first and foremost. If it's real police work you expect, look elsewhere, cause they got summer priorities to watch first.
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