Some of you may have seen my frantic ALERT post on Phillyblog this morning regarding a motorcycle I had stolen out of my front yard at 51st and Osage. The thief was apprehended quickly at 49th and Pine, thanks to the professional work of a group of officers. Here's what I wrote to Captain Clark (and Commissioner Ramsey):
Captain Clark 18th Police District 5510 Pine St. Philadelphia, PA 19143 Dear Captain Clark, I am writing to commend a group of your officers from the 18th District. On Thursday April 3rd, at about 9:45 am I was returning from walking my dog in Malcolm X Park at 51st and Osage when I saw a man pushing a motorcycle around the corner from 51st St. east onto Osage. As I got closer to my house, I realized it was MY motorcycle, and that the man had expended great effort to drag it down the front steps from my yard. I was furious and wanted to run after him, but I put my dog inside and called 911. The dispatcher was extremely prompt, calmed me down and got the necessary details to orient officers. The response was swift and overwhelming. The area was almost immediately swarming with patrol cars and vans, but the motorcyclean older model that was not running, but which Id restored over several months last yearwas nowhere to be found. The officers stuck with it, knowing that the thief could not have gone far, and after conducting a careful search of the alleyways, they were able to apprehend the thief, red-handed, behind some houses at 49th and Pine trying in vain to start the motorcycle. They immediately sent a patrol car to my house to notify me that the bike had been found, and officers Britton and Bagnell took turns pushing the motorcycle three blocks back to my house at 51st and Osage. In the 5 years that I have lived on 51st Street overlooking Malcolm X Park, I have not had much occasion to deal with officers of the 18th district, but I could not have had a better experience in this case. While officers Britton and Bagnell filled out paperwork on the recovery, they described the circumstances of the arrest and explained what would be expected of me as the case went forward. They indicated that officers ODonnell, Lebold and Kryzwicki also participated in the apprehension. A stolen motorcycle, in the whole scheme of things, is not a terribly important crime, but it was important to me. I know the police department gets more bad press than good. Its the nature of the job, I suspect, but I wanted to make sure that you were aware of some of the small good things happening in the 18th. Thanks so much for helping make Philadelphia a better city, and please extend my gratitude and any appropriate official commendation to officers Britton, Bagnell, Odonnell, Lebold and Kryzwicki for their swift, professional response. I have sent a letter to Commissioner Ramsey requesting the same. Sincerely, Andrew Schwalm ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
