Posted on 01/31/2013 10:20:18 PM PST by grundle
Buying a ski mask isn’t illegal, but could restricting their sale help prevent crime?
The notion is stirring debate among some Northwest Washington residents after reports of robberies committed by men wearing ski masks. The frequency of the robberies also has caught attention of police, who say one neighborhood crew is frequently purchasing masks at a local sports store for the express purpose of committing robberies.
“They clearly are a problem. Otherwise, we wouldn’t see it being mentioned in all the reports,” said Faith Wheeler, an Advisory Neighborhood Commission member from the Takoma neighborhood in Northwest.
And while police from the Metropolitan Police Department’s 4th District said they think the Rittenhouse Crew — many of whose members are known to police officers — is responsible for some of the robberies, the ski masks are a huge stumbling block if victims are to be unable to identify their assailants.
On a Metropolitan Police Department-run listserv, Ms. Wheeler was one of several people who broached the subject of trying to discourage the sale of ski masks in the neighborhood, or asked legislators whether there are other ways to ban their sale.
“I don’t know how you can get at it legislatively,” said Ms. Wheeler, acknowledging she meant to open the door to discussion rather than suggest her own cure-alls. “I don’t know that persuasion itself would work unless you have a personal relationship with a store owner.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
“Well thought-out”
Well, that lets DC out...
Having moved into the DC region three years ago....I can offer a couple of suggestions.
First, put twenty-five cops out in undercover from 8PM on, and only in the eastern part of DC. Figure at least twenty arrests a week on drug and robbery charges.
Second, publish the charge and conviction records of the district’s da’s. Let the public know that some of these guys are total losers in court.....rarely convicting anyone.
Third, treat all punks fifteen and over....as adults. Let them spend hard time in local jail for stupid crimes, and publish their pictures in the local paper.
The truth is...no voters in the city want any real results. They enjoy the crime, and can’t accept anything less than what they have currently.
When I go into my bank, they have a sign asking you to please remove sunglasses and hats.
I worked with a guy who was kinda a sissy, even though he was a big Irish guy. He would wear a ski mask to work in winter (nobody does that) because he hated the cold. (He’s in California now.) Anyway, he caused a lot of fuss when he went into convenience stores to grab a coffee on his way to work.
When I go into my bank, they have a sign asking you to please remove sunglasses and hats.
I worked with a guy who was kinda a sissy, even though he was a big Irish guy. He would wear a ski mask to work in winter (nobody does that) because he hated the cold. (He’s in California now.) Anyway, he caused a lot of fuss when he went into convenience stores to grab a coffee on his way to work.
We need to alert our store clerks to be on the watch for black persons buying ski masks. Why would a black person need a ski mask? Black people don’t ski. /s
Me thinks some Baby Mamas gonna learn how to knit....
Liberals believer gang bangers are so stupid they can't figure out how to buy ski masks outside of DC? Is that liberal elites being racist?
Who knows - maybe taking away ski masks of middle aged white guys on vacation in Colorado will stop crime in Washington... or is that too obviously stupid even for a liberal?
If newspapers weren't run by elite liberals this might work... it could also save some kids from becoming career criminals. Oh well, maybe rewarding thugs with midnight basketball and community centers might be the answer.../s
Maybe they could do both, and make police a special, exempted class just to rub in. 
They will need an exemption for police and former police officers since SWAT loves the black mask goon look...
They’ll take my ski mask over my dead burka!!
Not a bad idea! How about RFID?
Not to mention hair nets that might prevent other evidence from being left behind. Hair nets will be restricted to clean-room technicians/doctors/food preparers and will be tightly controlled and accounted for. Condoms will also be restricted as they can prevent DNA evidence from being left behind. What's next?
High capacity ski mask
Registered ski mask
Illegal ski mask - it's BLACK!
A really frightening mask
Banning this sort of thing is dumb - which means our Dear Leaders will probably do just that.
Thirty five years ago, during extremely cold weather, I wore a black ski mask to work.
Several of the men said I looked too much like a Palestinian terrorist, so I had to go to a different color.
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