Assault in Center Square
Albany police reported today that a woman was sexually assaulted and robbed early Wednesday morning on Hamilton Street between Dove and Lark (map). The APD says the suspect fled when a neighbor came outside after hearing a noise. It says an investigation is ongoing. (Full press release after the jump.)
APD press release: Sexual Assault Investigation
Albany police are investigating the sexual assault of a woman on Hamilton Street early this morning.
The victim, 23 years old, was walking west on Hamilton Street between Dove Street and Lark Street just before 1:00 a.m. A man came up from behind her and grabbed her and threatened her if she screamed. He threw her to the ground and then sexually assaulted her. A neighbor heard the commotion outside and came out front to see what was going on. When he did the suspect fled on foot with the victim's purse.
The victim was treated at the scene by Albany fire paramedics for scrapes and bruises and transported to Albany Medical Center.
The suspect is described as dark skinned black male, 5'6", wearing dark clothing and a grey hooded sweatshirt. He was last seen running south on Dove Street.
Officers and detectives canvassed the neighborhood and a K-9 Officer and his dog assisted in the investigation. The investigation is ongoing.
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Comments
The lower part of Hamilton (from Dove to Swan) is going downhill a bit. I see trash on the sidewalks and more than once passed by people smoking pot on their stoops - things I have not seen in my 10+ years living in the neighborhood. I would like to see ticketing for trash sitting out all day on the sidewalk. Let the little crimes go and you invite the big ones. So, where is a good place to buy pepper spray?
... said Hamilton Resident on Aug 4, 2011 at 4:25 PM | link
I usually walk down that block often, Hamilton Resident, and I've noticed the same problems. Especially the pot smoking. I've stopped using that block unless I'm going to the Treasure Chest (my favorite thrift store) or getting a slice of cheesecake.
I'm just around the corner from this assault so it literally hits "close to home."
... said Paula on Aug 4, 2011 at 7:27 PM | link
When I moved into this neighborhood almost 5 years ago, I saw police officers around regularly - either patroling in cars or on bikes - especially during the summer. Where have they gone? The police presence on the streets surrounding Lark seems to have disappeared. Sure, they park their cruisers outside of Bombers each evening between 8 and 10pm in order to get as much exposure as they can for the Lark St crowd (a PR move, for sure, to make it SEEM like there is a consistant police presence here), but the reality is, these crimes aren't happening on Lark St, they are happening on the adjacent streets in the surrounding neighborhood, and they're not happening between 8 and 10pm, they are happening during the early morning hours, after the police seem to have decided to pack up and move their cars elsewhere. If the police are in the area, they need to be on the move, not sitting inside their cars outside of Bombers looking at their laptops, and they need to be here during the high-risk hours on more than one street.
... said Kim D. on Aug 5, 2011 at 12:14 AM | link
Be proactive when it comes to litter. I regularly walk around with a grabber and pick up the trash on lower Jay and lower Lancaster. Grabbers run about $25 and are available at Home Depot. With one of these, I can pick up all the trash on a block in about 10 minutes.
... said Tim on Aug 5, 2011 at 10:15 AM | link
My brother-in-law just moved into an apartment on Hamilton between Dove and Lark, and I was actually there that night, though the hubby and I had walked the two blocks home at around 10:30pm. I hate the thought of these terrible things happening on these streets, MY streets, that I love so much.
... said Summer on Aug 5, 2011 at 1:05 PM | link
Tim, I'm not talking litter, I'm talking bags full of stinky garbage. On the street all day on pickup day. It's disgusting. And someone was dumping trash in the Adirondack Council parking lot. As far as I know you are not supposed to put trash out until 6pm.
... said Hamilton Resident on Aug 5, 2011 at 5:03 PM | link
We see common problems on Quail St. & in Pine Hills. Trash blowing & disgustingly piled up in front of houses everywhere (on trash day & everyday), used condoms on the sidewalk, weeds prevalent in front of many houses & surrounding city trees (where you can't plant anything anyway because it just gets destroyed), glass shards all over uneven sidewalks, outdoor pot smoking, etc. It's not possible to pick all of it up, some of it has been there since winter (in alleys & basement apartment steps). Today, someone dumped a big white blanket, some egg crates & a plastic mesh basket with a shoe & other trash in the gutter next to our shop - like the gutter was a trash can! Most of the gutters on Quail are grossly clogged with debris. I took pictures, called DGS & have a piece of paper from the gutter dump that is a recent car inspection w/ VIN # - I plan to give that to a police officer we know.
There have been quite a few car breakins recently and a bodega at 108 Quail just got robbed by knifepoint. Now a sexual assault in an area of town that seems safer than Pine Hills? Scary.
... said All Good Bakers on Aug 5, 2011 at 7:35 PM | link
Here is my question: just the other day we see Chief Krokoff on the cover of the Metroland being praised for "Community Policing." Now, while I agree with the concept of "community policing," the thrust of its logic seems inconsistent with the reality KimD is experiencing. Where did those bike cops go? Where are the officers walking the beat in Center Square besides Lark Street?
I myself have not seen them, either. That of course does not mean that they are not there, but given the events of the past few years and just the other night, I think the police department would be well-served by explaining what they intend to do about the situation.
There is one more situation I would like to bring attention to here: not only is the trash out and about, but the neighborhood is poorly lit. Here is an idea for a new law: every residence and commercial property on Hamiltion, Hudson, Jay, Lancaster, Chestnut, State, Spring, Lark, Dove, and Swan, need to have exterior lighting (a light bulb will do), that MUST be in the "on" position after it begins to get dark (the times can change with the season). If the Common Council wants people to maintain their sidewalks, they should also demand that they light them.
... said Cincinnatus on Aug 5, 2011 at 8:59 PM | link
If the police didn't spend all of their time dealing w' Ricky Sticks or the cigarette Golum or some of the other maniacs wandering around Madison and Lark they might be able to better protect the Center Square area from violent criminals. How much police time can some lunatic monopolize before they decide it's time they were taken to either a prison or psych ward and locked away? I'm sure it would save money in the long run. It's called disorderly conduct and it is also a crime.
... said Dan on Aug 5, 2011 at 11:28 PM | link
Walking down Lark last night with a friend and we passed 3 cop cars and two officers on foot on Lark. On Lark. I agree with a previous poster, the officers needs to be on the side streets, crime tends to happen where the people and officers are not, not on the well lit main street. A few years ago I used to feel safe walking around CS at night by myself, not anymore.
... said Miss SJ Albany on Aug 6, 2011 at 10:11 AM | link
Saratoga Springs police say they're stepping up patrols because of two sexual assaults over the last two weekends. [Saratogian].
Wow, what an idea! And after *only* two attacks. Albany must be waiting until we get to an even 10 before making any kind of a response to the situation.
... said Kim D. on Aug 6, 2011 at 10:40 AM | link
Speaking of lights...
There's also little or no effort to replace missing street lights. The lamp pole across from my Center Square house fell down in 2006. I was out of town that weekend, but I believe it was knocked over in a storm. Well, fast forward to 2011 and there's still no light there. That particular spot where the light fell was in front of an abandoned property. The abandoned building has since been demolished, but it wasn't uncommon to see some pretty creepy people loitering in the dark around it.
Another street light at the far end of the block came down within the last eighteen months and I doubt that one will be replaced anytime soon.
... said Paula on Aug 6, 2011 at 12:03 PM | link
Maybe the problem is our persistent low employment and lack of any real industry besides retail and politics? All the yuppies living in old brownstone houses want Albany to be this pristine little gem of an old-world city on the beautiful Hudson river, and the fact that it's a burnt-out post-industrial racist hellhole squatted over the part of the Hudson where it's just starting to get bad is wicked frustrating for them.
... said mr slow loris on Aug 6, 2011 at 1:58 PM | link
The garbage left out on the lower Hamilton block is the responsibility of the owner of those properties. They're commercial, so the trash is NOT picked up by Albany DGS and therefore they shouldn't be putting trash on the sidewalk, period. That's how I understand it anyway.
... said AnotherHamiltonResident on Aug 6, 2011 at 6:06 PM | link
Why won't people say what the actual problem is?? It's ghetto wanna- be thugs who think they own the city..and lazy albany pigs who don't do a damn bit of good. My question is this..when are YOU gonna take care of YOU??.. Go learn gun safety, go buy a pistol, and carry it. Loaded. I carry my pistol any time Ieave my house after dark. Some teenage wanna-be 2 PAC wants to try me, I'll blow your head off. Stand up for yourself..stop waiting for the cops..grow up and handle your self.
... said Will wolven on Aug 10, 2011 at 10:46 AM | link