You have to feel for Simon Mahteme, owner of LeDroit Park Market. While he’s trying to serve the neighbourhood with a mix of convenience store services, local youths are serving themselves his hard earned cash.
On July 10, he was robbed for the 10th time since October, and exasperated with the crime wave, he made this video from his camera’s footage of the crime and posted it on YouTube:
Today the Washington Post reportedthe result of Simon’s YouTube justice:
Late last week, police charged a 17-year-old. They are not saying whether YouTube played a role, but the video got the attention of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier.
Fenty and Lanier, along with a sizable retinue of their deputies, listened last week as about 100 LeDroit Park residents demanded increased police presence. Fenty (D) said he had heard about the video clip on YouTube, and Lanier has seen it.
“If this is one way that more people will see a potential suspect that will identify him, then I think it has some redeeming value,” Fenty said in an interview.
Yeah, Fenty, YouTube definitely has redeeming value. I know if I were Simon, or if I had video of a crime, and DC police were not quick in finding the criminal, I’d go all YouTube with it too.
Wouldn’t you?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
