What is up in the City of Santa Ana? Last night at the Council Meeting Councilman Vince Sarmiento, who is running in November for a new term, admitted that his car was broken into and his personal effects were stolen. According to our former blogger, Sean Mill, Sarmiento’s house has also been broken into, not once but twice, in the last year.
Speaking of Martinez, she was robbed of her purse a few months ago, while walking a few miles from the Santa Ana police headquarters to a public meeting.
What gives? Is there ANY other city in California that can claim a council majority that has been robbed and/or vandalized? According to Thomas Gordon, these are considered Type I crimes by the FBI. These are serious crimes! And yet Alvarez has claimed that violent crime is decreasing in our city, and Sarmiento’s website says the same thing (click on graphic above).
By the way, at last night’s Council meeting two hours were wasted by the Council as they backslapped each other and gave out awards ad infinitum. There was NO mention of the brutal slaying of a 39 year old father a few days ago, as he was caught in a gang crossfire, as he played with his children in his front yard, on Pine St., in Santa Ana. No mention at all. Mayor Miguel Pulido and his Clowncilmen just smiled and gave out awards with no heed paid at all to this awful tragedy. Just business as usual in Santa Ana.
Sorry Art, but anecdotal stories don’t make a crime trend.The Council members can site statistics showing crime went down in 2007 [ regardless of how incremental ] but if recent trends continue for 2008, I doubt they will be able to keep making the same claim. Keep highlighting violent gang crime with the juxtaposition of the lack of teen activities and resources, I believe the two are connected.
Thanks Art for keeping an eye on these issues. The crime rate and infrastructure issues are the real stories that are shaping Santa Ana.
Wonder if all the crimes against the Councilmembers were reported and assigned case #’s, or were they unreported? In Santa Ana I would expect a high number of crimes to go unreported. The issues of immigration intended or not cause walls to develop between immigrant communities and its government.
The council who knows first hand the impact of crime should be facing it and not trying to hide behind statistics.
And on another note, is someone with Chief Walters track record someone we want to fix the broken OC Sheriff’s Dept?
My parajitos tell me the Orange Juice may be behind all these crimes against Councilmembers.
#3
I know it’s not your intention, however your post reads like a threat against the OJ.
Sounds like Sal’s house was burglarized, not robbed. Do you know the difference Art? You claim to know everything else. Instead of bashing everyone and everthing, I suggest you offer solutions…or maybe move to a safer city?
Art,
The crimes you refer to are “Part One” crimes, and not all are considered “violent”, including auto theft and burglary. The FBI Uniform Crime Reports are public documents and are available for your review. Again, be a part of the solution, not the whining problem.
#5,
Are you serious? Who differentiates between burglary and robbery? In the end your stuff has been stolen in either case.
Why should we move? What we need is a better City Council and a Mayor who is a leader instead of the corrupt and pathetic screwball we have been stuck with for over twenty years.
#3,
Don’t be a doofus. It is true that Pulido and his gang believe that blogging is a crime. But no, it is not.
All of us by the way are gainfully employed and do not need to rob people. Unlike Pulido’s associates, some of whom HAVE robbed people (ask the guy who we have nicknamed “Swap Meet”).
#6,
You are splitting hairs. The fact remains, no other city council in California has so many politicians on it who have had crimes committed against them. And yet you NEVER hear them talking about these issues in public. This clowncil and Pulido are all in utter denial!
As for being part of the solution, we think that blogging about this information, which for over twenty years never saw the light of day, IS part of the solution.