Police didn’t warn public about violent crime spree
Had he known, beaten teen’s dad wouldn’t have let him walk alone
HAD HE KNOWN about a rash of robberies in the neighbourhood, Khalid Rabbani would never have let his son walk alone.
But he didn’t know about the violent crime spree that stretched back to July. Or the special police project that had been launched in early November to combat it.
He didn’t know because Hamilton Police did not tell the public.
“No one told us anything,” says Khalid. “If we knew, we would have driven him.”
And so, just after midnight on Nov. 27, 15-year-old Noah Rabbani slung his backpack of books over his shoulder (“My son’s best friends are his books”), left his pal’s house near Fletcher Road and Rymal Road East and began the short walk to his grandparents’ house.
Before he made it there, a car pulled up beside him. Two men got out. One beat him with a baseball
bat, causing a blood clot in his brain that required surgery. His two front teeth were knocked out.
“They didn’t say a word,” says Khalid.
Hamilton Police held a news conference earlier this week to announce the arrest of Matthew Hribar, 18, in connection with the attack on Noah. He is charged with aggravated assault and robbery along with a slew of other charges, including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, breaking and entering and possession of ammunition contrary to a court order.
Police also shared details of Pro ject Trail-Finder, which resulted in 11 arrests related to the crime spree that had been plaguing Hamilton’s east-end and Mountain neighbourhoods for months.
The news conference was much needed so the public could better understand what was happening in its community. First, that one of Noah’s alleged attackers was in custody. Second, that police could use the public’s help in finding the second suspect. Third, that a ring of allegedly dangerous people have been arrested.
Project Trail-Finder certainly seems like a success. So thank you for that, Hamilton Police.
But it raises the question … Why wasn’t the public informed about a rash of robberies a long time ago? As soon as police identified there was a problem? Or when a special project was started?
The public ought to know these It has a right to know these things. Especially if it could allow the people in our community the opportunity to take precautions and protect themselves.
I am not suggesting police need to release details that would compromise an ongoing investigation. But police could and should release enough information for citizens to be able to address their own safety issues.
Sometimes, police are very good about this.
In July (when this particular crime spree started), the service issued a media release warning the public about a “spike” in the theft of bicycles from unlocked sheds and garages. Not only did the announcement tell the public what the issue was, it suggested ways to prevent the thefts.
Also in July, police warned our community about a fraud scam involving iTunes gift cards. Again, good to know.
In October, there was warning about a different fraud in which victims were being offered money to have their cars wrapped with advertisements. Also helpful.
But nothing about the string of home invasions, auto thefts and robberies that led to Project TrailFinder.
And nothing about one of the most disturbing incidents in that string — the home invasion at the house of an 84-year-old man who was there alone.
Police exist to protect the public. A good place to start is sharing information with the public so it can protect itself.