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Mugging, masturbating in local parks
02/03/2012 7:09 PM by John M
There was a mugging in libby hill park today, around 3:45 or so. Two kids took a guy’s phone. Luckily he wasn’t hurt badly. Broad daylight and about 10 people nearby.
Just a heads up, my wife was confronted on a recent run by a black male who exposed himself while masturbating along the tree line near the playground/gardens. It was about 8 am. People should keep and eye out. We would have called the police, but recent experience has yielded little effort on their part, but we wanted to let the community know.
A friend of ours saw what must have been the same guy doing the same thing at the same place in the early morning about a week ago.
Any description on the “kids”? Were they on bikes? There is a group of them on bikes that patrol libby hill, the b-ball courts and nearby. I know where some of them live.
Great, now neighbors are seeing crimes but not bothering to call the police because “recent experience has yielded little effort on their part.” Seems to me it wasn’t so long ago that someone witnessed a crime in progress, called the police and had a nice chase that ended with an arrest – I cannot remember all the details but it involved Officer Kevin Hyde, who grew up in Church Hill and asked for First Precinct duty when he came on the police force. Really guys, it was recently and everyone was SO impressed with the cops then.
Sorry if I sound angry – but I AM. Darn it people, call the cops when you see something, I’m betting your wife had a cell phone with her, she could at least have called the cops – some people even take pictures with their cell phones, that might help a lot too! I mean, come on folks – TWO people have seen the same guy jerking off in public, and no one bothers to tell the cops?
I do hope the victim of the mugging in the park is okay. And with ten people nearby, hopefully a good description went out and the cops WERE called. I would like to think that if someone was mugged and hurt and there were ten witnesses, that SOMEONE called the cops. If I get mugged and there are witnesses, I REALLY want those folks to call the cops (and to help me if I need help).
Aren’t we more of a community than just putting out the word that some guy is running around jerking off in the park, and there are some kids mugging people in broad daylight with witnesses?! I’d like to think so!
A whole lot of “beating” going on in our fine parks.
How is it that two ‘kids’ were able to get away with beating someone with ten people, presumably some of whom are adults, around. Calling the cops afterwards is good, stopping this shit in progress is better.
Having someone expose themselves to you or jerk off in a public place in front of you is pretty freaking common in this city (or any other), especially if you live closer to VCU (although it happens everywhere). I can’t think of a woman I know who hasn’t experienced it at least once at some point in her life. Sad to say, but it’s so unexceptional an experience that maybe that’s why it didn’t register enough to warrant a phone call to the police.
Talked to Shelby of Crime Watch, she says the cops caught the kids from the incident in the park. The lieutenant described it to her as a robbery not mugging, in any event the kids went to the end of Libbie Terrace, jumped the wall, and were caught by the cops.
great follow up, thanks!
Just talked to another neighbor who thinks they brought in dogs, this person said they caught the kids within a half hour or hour of the incident.
Great news on the robbery/mugging! In regard to the sick-o guy, you have to call the police. I understand how frustrating it is to get an apathetic response from the police operator and then the police themselves, but we must make them care because the vast majority of our neighborhood does care.
I’m wondering if by titling this post “Mugging, masturbating in local parks” we are doing the same over-simplifing as was complained about in neighborhood identification in the media?
Not every park has masturbating, muggings, or crime at all.
Why create the same effect with our parks that the RVA media sensationalizes with neighborhoods?
http://chpn.net/news/2012/01/07/this-is-not-church-hill-an-open-letter-the-rva-media_20874/
I wonder if it is related, around lunch time today lots of cops swept into my block and were all searching around abandoned houses, behind bushes, etc. They were parked in alleys all over for about an hour as if they were waiting for the person(s) they didn’t find to come by.
I agree, while I blame this area for a lot of crime, in my experience public masterbation/exposure happens everywhere.
I still call the cops, but I’d agree my experience has not made me have much faith in the response.
Guys, I really don’t think jerking off in public is a thing that happens everywhere. I have to disagree with the people who have said that it’s common, because it is NOT common in my book. And while I have no problem with it happening in private, I have a big problem with someone jerking off in close proximity to a children’s playground – think about it, how do you respond to an eight or ten year old asking you what that guy is doing?! Do you really want to have a birds and bees discussion while that is going on in the background?!
And to those who say the police response is tepid, I point to the incident in Libby Hill Park, where apparently the cops DID respond in a timely manner, and the witnesses WERE helpful, and the cops brought in the K9 unit and actually caught the kids in Chimborazo Park shortly thereafter. So come on, call the cops. Most people have cell phones with them constantly – hang up on your call to a friend and call the cops when you see something inappropriate. Hopefully they will have someone available to respond quickly when you call. That doesn’t always happen, but the more we call them, the more chances they have to respond in a timely manner. That’s what makes us a community – reaching out for help when we see something wrong going on.
Clay Street: So because its common, then eh, its not a big deal. Is that really what you think? hmm.
This hood not a neighborhood because shit like this doesn’t happen in a neighborly area. My child will be born soon and I wish I didn’t have to think about this. Call the fucking cops about anything out of the ordinary. Our police suck, they are mostly idiots and don’t live here and could give two shots about this hood. Every great change started with and ended with perservearance. Call the police, period. Flood their lines with calls. It may just piss them off enough to be proactive, not reactive!
No, I am not at all saying that it’s not disturbing–what I am saying that it is a common experience for women. Doesn’t make it any less gross or horrible or shocking, but it’s the truth.
Speaking from experience, it usually happens quickly, randomly, and in a context where the guy is gone almost before you realize what has happened.
Again, speaking from experience, it is sometimes not convenient to call the police (once I was walking by myself up Main Street in the late morning, on my way to an appointment, on a weekday, and near Davis and Main a very normal looking preppy guy jogged up to me wearing nothing by running shorts–he asked me the time, and then I realized that he had arranged his tiny running shorts so that his testicles and penis could be observed–this was no accident, they were completely exposed–and he obviously enjoyed the reaction he got when I said “looks like your junk is hanging out”–he said “oh, sorry” while he continued to run in place, making no move to fix his issue, and then he just asked me the time again–he kept on jogging like that after I walked away from him. My only regret is that I didn’t say to him something really witty like “it’s time to put your balls back into your shorts.”
Every woman I know has a story like this, it’s SOOOO common! I have at least half a dozen others, ranging from a guy asking me to give him directions, and as I approached the car window I could see him jerking off (this is a pretty common ploy, it actually happened twice to me, at different points in my life, and the same scenario has happened to multiple friends) to men in coffee shops or restaurants exposing themselves/touching themselves under tables (this has happened in many places where my friends and I have worked). Yet another incident occurred in the park right across from Kuba Kuba, etc. etc. etc.
I am getting the feeling you have never witnessed it, so, perhaps crd and All Bark, you are both male? Take a survey of the women you know, as them “have you or anyone you know ever had someone expose themselves to you?”
Trust me, everyone will say yes.
To sum up, my point was *not* that people shouldn’t call police when it happens (I actually think they should) but rather that the experience is, sadly, all too common.
I am female and I have had this happen to me once. Fortunately I was in my teens and with other girls. My parents were horrified and it was a huge big deal. Regardless of how often this type of thing has happened to women, the big picture is that eventually this sick public display will no longer satisfy this guy and he will escalate. At that point we will be looking for a rapist. That’s what the local police don’t seem to get, IMHO, about crimes that are viewed as “insignificant”. I absolutely agree with Gina’s comment about calling the police.
Not that it makes it any less disturbing of an experience to those who are forced to witness someone expose themselves, but your conclusion that exhibitionists will eventually feel the need to escalate to more violent interactions is not supported by data. If you have any experience with behavioral psychiatry, you know that there are actually quite a few studies on this, here is a link to a professional reference guide on sexual disorders.
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric_disorders/sexuality_and_sexual_disorders/paraphilias.html#v1029985
That being said, I do support calling the police when it happens, especially because young children should not be exposed to such creeps.
Clay Street, I am also female, and it has never happened to me. (Except I heard about it once a few years ago in a local pub, but didn’t see it). However, now I’m curious so I will run a survey of my female friends and let you know how many have experienced it.
Also, thanks for posting the link in your post #19.You’re spot on. I might add that ‘peeping toms’ rarely if ever escalate.
My concern is that I know several parents around the neighborhood, with kids ranging in age from three to ten or twelve, and I can’t imaging how they would explain it if the kids saw this. Birds and bees talks belong at home as does jerking off.
I have absolutely no experience whatsoever with behavioral psychology, thank goodness. I was repeating what I thought was true. Probably been watching too many episodes of Law and Order.
Well, if you want to run a really disturbing survey, everyone ask the women in your lives if they have ever felt that their life was threatened before by a man, either a stranger or acquaintance, partner whatever. Like, they actually thought they may not see another day.
Every woman I know from a variety of walks of life has been in that situation. Where they thought to themselves “This situation is going to escalate and I am going to die” or something like that. Luckily they all had someone or something intervene, some lucky twist of fate, some distraction, something that turned it to their advantage so they could extricate themselves. Some of them fought. Some of them ran. But they all remember how crystal clear the feeling was that they were on a precipice.
Scary huh?
To Clay Street, my really informal survey turned up one woman out of twenty who had had a strange man expose himself to her, but it was years ago in Seattle at a bus stop, she said she just looked at the guy and said ‘really?’ and ignored him; two women out of the same twenty who said yes but they were both maybe twelve years old, had a parent or older sibling with them, it was in a different city and state, and absolutely no one who said it had happened to them in Richmond. Most of the women said ‘no, huh? Are you kidding?’ or some variation of that.
All Bark #22, that’s a different topic. Domestic violence IS scary, I agree. And I’d answer yes to have I ever been subjected to it, so I know firsthand. But I really don’t think that jerk offs escalate to that, and I KNOW from a PhD in psych that peeping toms do not. Those types are not violent. But if you are saying that domestic violence is an issue, I would agree.
And I have to say, every woman I asked said she’d call the cops if some guy exposed himself or jerked off in public. Several said they might wait until their run took them around the block, but all without fail said they would call the cops.
no, not just domestic violence. though that is common. I also mean the creepy dude who won’t take no for an answer when trying to “help’ with your groceries for example, then kidnaps you.
Everyone knows domestic violence occurs but people and especially women, think that its a personal issue that is unrelated to them, except of course when it does happen to them.
but too often there is a trap people fall in where they are unprepared for violence perpetrated by strangers. It happens all the time. It isn’t just domestic violence that gets women killed.
Absolutely–everyone should definitely call the cops if you see someone who is exposing themselves. I guess I (sadly) have become so jaded over the years that I just assumed it was everyone else’s experience to have had this happen so frequently that it fails to shock any longer. Good to know I am wrong:)
If I was approached by a masturbating flasher, could he press charges against me if I stabbed his privates (or him) with a key/pen/swiss army knife?
They could press charges, but no idea if you would actually be prosecuted or not. But I’m all for using extreme force against someone like that.
My comments regarding the RPD sucking have more to do with my experiences with dispatch, I usually get transferred around or they accidentally hang up when I call 911 or just never send a car at all. By the time I get talking to the person who can actually get a cop car out to the location, the crime is over and the criminal is long gone. I can’t really say I have any complaints with the officers themselves once they arrive.
RPD dispatchers do have a hard time with non address related calls. Try calling for a crime in a city park and they demand to know the street address. I had a few arguments with the dispatchers before telling them that if they put the call out over the radio, the police could figure out where to go.
But the police that finally show up have always been eager and willing to help.
Calling the police also enables them to map crime. Then, they can use this crime map to argue for more resources in budget meetings.
@26 – I would advise against stabbing as it’s not worth the risk of getting sued and/or locked up. A kick to the offending parts should be just as effective in quelling their passion and probably much more justifiable as self-defense. Avoids lasting damage but gets your message across nicely. Mace also works well.
I would also suggest a well-timed giggle while looking at the offending penis/balls, while exclaiming, “Wow! They’re so small and cute! I didn’t know those things could be that TINY!” This should get his pants zipped up in no time!
Seriously, though, a couple years ago I ran into a flasher/masturbator in Byrd Park. I pretended to ignore him, and called the police as soon as I was out of earshot. They called me back to tell me they had caught the guy about 20 minutes later. If you see this guy, make sure to get a good physical description of him and his clothing (if any), so the cops know what they are looking for. My description is what enabled the cops to catch the Byrd Park guy.
Clay Street #25, I’m really sorry you’ve been a victim of this so many times.
Mrs. Alex #30, what a good story and good reason to encourage our neighbors to call the cops. I tried to tell a woman last night that most people carry cell phones when they run, she’s a non-runner and didn’t believe me but I think most folks do.
Honey Badger #28 I definitely get it with the dispatchers, some are better than others. And having been so defensive here on this thread about calling the cops, I am actually not really sure how to describe where the jerk off guy was when it happened. I don’t think an actual address would help but maybe ‘behind the house at 3xxx East Broad’ would make a difference. Just saying. No criticism of the original poster intended at all.
Our police do care. The number one thing they say to do is to call the police when you see anything suspicious. They’re not psychic, and can’t do anything about crimes they’re not aware of. And CRD, a guy exposed himself to me and masturbated when I was in college, but it was in the Fan.
Thanks Lora, you are now part of my survey. Assuming you are the same Lora I know, hope to see you at the next family dinner – and this will be a good conversation topic.
Everyone, this morning at 9 am I saw this man in the park behind the playground and he exposed himself and was masturbating. I’ve seen him out there several times just hanging out in the mornings by himself. I called the police and they were out in 5 minutes looking for him. They said to always call them, even if he isn’t doing anything but just seems suspicious. He is a young black man (late teens early twenties), about 5’11”, very thin, clean shaven, short braided hair, he wears clean normal/clean looking clothes typically baggy dark jeans, he smokes sweet clove smelling cigarettes, and very soft spoken. He hangs out around the bathroom building and the playground and then walks along the sidewalk at the retaining wall. This is where I have seen him mulitple mornings and many people walk past him and say good morning. Today, however, when I was near him walking my dog (who do not sense danger nor act protective) on the inside of the fence at the playground I said good morning to him and then he walked over and exposed his penis and started masturbating. I think I said “are you kidding me?” and walked away and called the police. He walked away from the park headed west on Grace Street.
@Andrea–thanks for the description. I’ve seen a man that fits it hanging around the basketball courts in the mornings when I’m leaving for work (usually around 7:45). He’s not there every day but I’ll make a point to call it in if I see him.
Trish and Andrea, absolutely the best of luck with getting this guy caught. Sounds like he’s a little off.
What a fucking nutjob. Does he honestly expect a positive reaction from folks he does this to? Best case is he doesn’t get arrested or have his junk cut off. I seriously doubt anyone is going to be excited to have some stranger in the park offer his stuff up like this. Hope the RPD can catch him pretty soon. This kind of stuff is bad for the neighborhood.
Given how consistent he seems to be about this, it would probably make sense for RPD to send a plain clothes female officer by in the mornings?
He seems to have a fairly consistent schedule so it’s only a matter of time before he’s caught.
I hope the info being shared on this blog is being relayed to RPD.
For a very helpful book check out “the gift of fear “by gavin debecker. It is a very useful tome. Investing in a stungun is not a bad idea either. They are easy to use and provoke a very visceral reaction in perverts . The noise they make alone will scare off most geeks .Trying to kick or fight a freak like this is risky unless you are trained in self defense. Flight is usually the better option as is of course calling 911.Please be alert folks.
Totally agree with JD on #38, just a matter of time, and I hope the First Precinct is reading this (JD, I know they have in the past). Keep calling the cops when you see him. Maybe the cops will plant someone there.
Also, I just talked to a friend who has a PhD in psych, he said that these types rarely if ever get violent, they are usually just looking for a reaction of shock, that’s what gets them off. Unless it is someone who is mentally off, which is a different scenario (someone who has the mental age of six or seven and thinks it feels good to do this). He said that this type of person probably is not going to escalate to attacking anyone. Apparently this type of person just feels inadequate and wants to show off in public, and the shock value gives him reward. So let’s hope this ends soon.
Without any knowledge of the actual dipshit you and your friend know how to act when confronted? Call 911 . Run,or defend yourself if you are qualified….Maybe you could sign up the offender as a chpn anonymous commenter. That should gratify his urges in a safer way…
Best Buddy Corbett post ever. Seriously.
Alex: “nutjob” = pun (intended or not? #37)
Buddy: You were doing so good (#39) – being a helpful, respectful neighbor with insightful tips. Then, you regressed a bit with a classic, snarky refrain on anonymity (#41). Nonetheless, I would like to commend you for your restraint on the name-calling (“dipshit”, aside). And, your use of the “Shift” keys…nothing short of “old dogs, new tricks,” I must say. You gotta love a dude for trying…Buddy, I love you man! : )
I just wanted to add again that I really didn’t feel that this guy was threatening or particularly dangerous. he seemed kind of like a weird shy kid who was a little “off”. i wondered if maybe he lives in a halfway house or group home somewhere in the neighborhood?
also, even though i called the police and they came out quickly and headed up grace street looking for him (i saw the police cars) they did not actually stop to talk to me (even though i asked the dispatcher to tell them i was waiting to speak to them). i had to call 911 back after 20 minutes of waiting and then they came to meet me. the officer seemed very uninterested and didn’t even ask me if i was okay or if i had any questions. i had to actively question and engage him to find out what i should do in the future and what their plans were to find the guy. he was totally more interested in his egg mcmuffin than in me. that was disappointing because the other officers i have met in our neighborhood have been really great. regardless, call the police.
had he been on the same side of the fence as me or behaved agressively he would have definitely regretted it. let’s leave it at that.