I blogged about these robberies on Monday, and later that same morning a reader of The Chief’s Corner sent me an off-blog email with some critical information. Detective Marty Fehringer and Officer Travis Amen followed up on that information, and yesterday morning Travis took the 14 year old alleged robber into custody for two counts. Law and order is restored along the banks of Cripple Creek.
Ah, the power of social media.
Speaking of the power of social media, a dastardly vandalism occurred at the Nebraska State Capitol overnight on Monday to Tuesday, when someone spray painted graffiti on the limestone blocks right beside the impressive front door.
Tuesday morning, several people were conversing (rather colorfully, be warned) about this crime in a local blogger’s message board: beerorkid. If you follow the thread, at 10:41 AM a participant with the screen name Fluxus notes that he saw a man carrying a sign downtown late last week with the same obscure message. A few minutes later at 11:22 AM, Fluxus (still online) sees the same guy entering the Bennett Martin Public Library downtown, posts his observation, and calls the State Patrol. This dispatch of Lincoln Police Officer Krissa Knopik results:
If you check out the times closely, you can see that either we are clairvoyant or beerorkid and the Emergency Communications Center need to get their clocks synchronized. Russell H. Lee was arrested on the spot. Note the inscription on the frieze above the Capitol’s front door, in beerorkid’s snapshot:
Nice catch, Fluxus. Applications will be open again in January!
7 comments:
It's great that the two robberies are cleared. It's too bad that the secretive nature of the juvie justice system will make it almost impossible for most of us to witness the soft wrist-slap that will result. Does Nebraska have a law mandating the non-disclosure of the names of minors that have been charged with crimes, or is that just something some media outlets choose to keep under their hats?
eeeeeeeeeeeeee :)
Unless he admits to painting the capital building, how is there enough evidence to convict him of anything? Anybody could hold up a sign with the same words on it. Maybe a bum saw the graffiti and decided to copy it and make a sign for himself?
I always thought that the State Capitol was one of the most secured buildings in Lincoln. The State Patrol has quite a command center dedicated to the Capitol's secuirty. Too bad someone would deface such a wonderful building and diminish its grandeur for the rest of us who enjoy exploring the creepy corridors and echo-prone chambers...
The website (Wayback Machine is a website with an archive of old websites) is a shoddy description of fundamentalist Evangelical witness. Makes me yearn for the street preachers who yell at you instead saying you are doomed to hell because you decided to watch MTV.
1:52 -
I believe there is ample evidence, apart from the fact that Fluxus saw him with a similarly-worded sign. As Trevor Brass points out, there is some spiffy security around the Capitol, including lots of cameras. There is also inculpatory testimonial evidence in this case.
Thanks, Chief!
I suppose this means I should change my email address to something more dignified than bigmama37xxx@yahoo.com? I kid.
If you ever have any full-time bicycle patrol positions, though, I'd be more intrigued. I'm not enthusiastic about spending time in cars.
PS: I'm the reader who had emailed you a while back, resulting in the "share the road" post. Thanks for all you do--I really appreciate it.
--Fluxus
Fluxus,
I suspect not everyone will get the email address joke, so let's help them.
As for bike patrol, you'll have to earn your cleats like everyone else. Ten solid seasons of directing traffic at 10th and Q on game days ought to do it, so you might as well get started. Clearing crime is fun, no?
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