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Cops: Red bandanas, crimes, but no gangs
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Related Topics: TOWSON
TOWSON (Map, News) - Despite three recent crimes involving attackers wearing red bandanas in downtown Towson, Baltimore County police say they don’t have a gang problem in the county’s crown jewel.
“Not everybody who wears a Ravens jacket is a Raven,” said Baltimore County police spokesman Bill Toohey. “Not everybody who wears a red bandana is a Blood.”
The first two crimes were armed robberies on Nov. 24.
At 8:30 p.m. at the corner of Washington and Pennsylvania avenues, two men approached their victims from behind as they returned from an ATM -- and one suspect placed a handgun the victim’s head and removed his wallet. One of the two suspects wore a red bandana over his face.
Later that night, at 10:19 p.m. at the corner of Dulaney Valley and Joppa roads, two men wearing red bandanas asked a victim for money, then began to assault him. They fled in an unknown direction.
“They are being investigated, but there’s no reason to believe they’re gang-related,” Toohey said.
Another robbery occurred on Dec. 8 in the 100 block of E. Joppa Road, where 10 males wearing red bandanas around their faces jumped a victim and stole his wallet and tennis shoes.
Toohey said this assault had nothing to do with gangs.
“Two guys had a disagreement in school. One guy brought nine of his buddies and seriously outnumbered the victim,” he said. “There’s no indication there’s organized gang activity in Towson.”
In a recent interview with The Examiner, Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson said his officers have identified between 350 and 400 gang members in Baltimore County. Last month, Baltimore County prosecutors earned convictions of four men they said carried out a murder for the Bloods gang in Essex.
lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
I know theres gangs in the county ,but really there are over 50 different gangs in maryland and the eastern shore experiences more of the problems then the Baltimore area . We as citizen have to realize there is no way to eliminate gangs from any state,city,county,or country because everyone has their on life to be what they want. ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE IS DEFINED AS A GANG. No one complained about the Cowboys wearing bandanas tearing apart cities/towns,nor did anyone care to place an opinion of the acts of RedNecks creating a destruction.As a white person I believe we blame the black society TOO MUCH , whats Equality and its use if people don't except Human-being as a family. No town/city is perfect and we need to create a society or system where violence is at a low by everyone beginning to care more. We care about our safety right?Why not care about our neighbors? If you believe in God you should know No person is perfect. We should all join as Human-beings for the better.
40 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The problem isn't gangs per se...its young black males. No one wants to call it what it is. There are groups of young black males throughout the Metrol area creating a public hazard and have been doing so for years. Unfortunately all the Liberals wont acknowledge the problem to devise a solution.
43 agree | 15 disagree
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consertative said:
toohey is a mouthpiece for the police department. it is time for him to retire. he makes 100 grand a year. the cops should roll down the patrol car windows, stop eating doughnuts, put away the cell phones and start acting like police instead off call takers.
41 agree | 17 disagree
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Wayne, Parkton said:
Bill Toohey is an idiot. Just drive around Towson and the surrounding area and look at the number of sneakers dangling from the power lines. I suppose this isn't an indication of the presence of gangs either.
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Examiner Reader said:
They're coming in from the city. The city/county line is just down the road. They come in to go to the theatre in the Commons, and then wreak havoc at the mall. The county police have to post officers at the Commons because these kids aren't capable of acting like humans.
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Examiner Reader said:
If anyone would like to see photos of gang tagging in Towson, I got them. Also, in my mine line of work, I deal with gangs, gang members daily. I know for a FACT that there are gangs in Towson. What I think I will do is contact fox 45 and release my photos to them as well as introduce them to gang members who live in Towson. Jim Smith O'Malley, tell the truth. We have gangs in Towson.
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Examiner Reader said:
lets just say it.baltimore is a s--t bucket.and if the city is so safe why do they have police with them at all times.
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Examiner Reader said:
Dont let them fool you, there are plenty of gang memebers that live walking distance away from "Downtown Towson".
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Examiner Reader said:
This is the same thing O'Malley said about gangs in the city. It wasn't allowed to be acknowledged that the city had gangs when he was mayor. As soon as he left, gang units were created to combat the problem that had become out of control. If Towson chooses to sit back and turn a blind eye, the same will happen. Towson- THIS IS GANG ACTIVITY!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
The police in Towson better go to myspace and see all the bloods in their town. Wake up gangs are everywhere! 9 guys in red bandanas sounds like a gang to me. look at what is considered a gang 3 or more people in a group involved in criminal activity. YEP SOUND LIKE A GANG!
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Examiner Reader said:
I think I disagree with spokespersons logic. Not that I'm even close to an expert.These gangs don't have any centralized authority, do though? If you say you're in x gang then who's to say you're not. In any case why does it even matter. They identify with the gangster mentality.
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