Tag Archives: enforcement

Wyoming, Kentwood warn of a series of purse snatching incidents

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , ,
Surveillance photos of the suspects. (Provided)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Heading to the store for a little shopping? Local law enforcement have a warning for anyone carrying a purse, keep an eye on it.

Over the past few weeks, several area agencies, including the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, the Kentwood Police, the Grand Rapids Police, and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, have reported several purse snatching incidents at large retail establishments in Wyoming, Grand Rapids, Kent County, and Kentwood. According to police, the suspects appear to be targeting females in the parking lot who are alone, over the age of 50, and have their purse in a shopping cart.

When the victim is not playing attention, the suspects will take the purse from the cart and flee. In one instance, according to the report, the victim had her purse in her hands and the suspects pulled it away from her. They victim attempted to chase after them and felt to the ground, receiving minor injuries to her hand.

“Make sure to secure your purse in your vehicle before offloading your groceries,” said Lt. Eric Wiler, from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety. “Mostly, these suspects are waiting for someone to turn their back to load groceries, leaving the purse unattended.”

Along with securing their purse right away, Wiler said residents should be aware of their surroundings and if it is dark, make sure to park where it is well lighted.

Investigators from all four agencies have been working to identify the suspects involved in these incidents.

 

Anyone that can identify the suspects or has information these incidents, is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 616-530-7366; Kentwood Police Department, 616-656-6600; Grand Rapids Police Department, 616-456-3380; Kent County Sheriff’s Department, 616-632-6125; or Silent Observer, 616-774-2345.

Surveillance photo of the vehicles the suspects were seen fleeing the scene in. (Provided)

Other crime prevention tips:

Don’t carry a shoulder bag over your shoulder. This makes it easier for a thief to grab the bag and knock you down or injure you. 

Shorten the strap so you can hold the purse tightly under your arm or lengthen it to wear diagonally across your body in front.

Never walk around with an open purse.

Don’t walk with your purse dangling or wrap the strap around your shoulder, neck or wrist. A strong tug from a thief could injure you.

Fanny packs are a safe alternative to the traditional purse as they are worn tight and close to the body making them harder to grab.

When possible, shop with a friend.

Only carry what you need. Leave extra money, valuable jewelry, and credit cards at home.

Traffic Tuesday: When you can feel the noise

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, ,

By Officer Jenni Eby
Wyoming Department of Public Safety

As the weather gets warmer, more and more people will have their windows open to enjoy the sun and fresh air. However, we always see an increase in noise complaints with warmer weather, as well as more questions about the hours of the noise ordinance. What the hours for the general noise ordinance (noise able to be heard from a public way like a street or sidewalk) in the city of Wyoming?

  1. No noise from 10PM to 7AM
  2. No noise from 11PM to 7AM
  3. No noise from midnight to 8AM
  4. There are no hours for the general ordinance
  5. I’m not sure, I’ll check back on Thursday

The answer is 4) There are no hours for the general ordinance, the city does not have designated “quiet hours”. If noise is bothersome to you, and can be heard by an officer from a public way (meaning a street or sidewalk), the ordinance can be enforced at any hour of the day.

Traffic Tuesday: When you can feel the noise

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, ,

By Officer Jenni Eby
Wyoming Department of Public Safety

As the weather gets warmer, more and more people will have their windows open to enjoy the sun and fresh air. However, we always see an increase in noise complaints with warmer weather, as well as more questions about the hours of the noise ordinance. What the hours for the general noise ordinance (noise able to be heard from a public way like a street or sidewalk) in the city of Wyoming?

  1. No noise from 10PM to 7AM
  2. No noise from 11PM to 7AM
  3. No noise from midnight to 8AM
  4. There are no hours for the general ordinance
  5. I’m not sure, I’ll check back on Thursday

Traffic Tuesday Answer: Parking in the Handicap Spot

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , ,

By Officer Jenni Eby
Wyoming Department of Public Safety

This week’s Traffic Tuesday was about parking in the handicap spot.

You’re running into a store for a quick second to drop something off or pick something up. The closest open spot is a marked handicapper, van accessible parking spot. What’s the maximum amount of time that you can park in marked spot designated for people with disabilities, without a visible plate, placard, or sticker?

  1. 0 minutes; you must have a visible plate, placard, or sticker
  2. 10 minutes
  3. 15 minutes
  4. 30 minutes
  5. I’m not sure, I’ll check back on Thursday

The answer is 1) 0 minutes; you must have a visible plate, placard, or sticker

Traffic Tuesday: Odd/Even Parking, Part III

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, ,

By Officer Jenni Eby
City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety

During the odd/even enforcement period of Dec. 1, 2019 to Mar. 31, 2020, Wyoming police officers responded to almost 11,000 calls for service. To prepare. the past few weeks the Traffic Tuesday has been focused on those enforcement issues.

How many odd/even parking tickets were written during Dec. 1, 2019 to Mar. 31, 2020?

  1. Less than 100
  2. Between 100 and 500
  3. Between 500 and 1,000
  4. More than 1,000
  5. I’m not sure, I’ll check back on Thursday!

The City of Wyoming’s odd/even parking takes affect Dec. 1. It is enforceable from midnight to 7 p.m. Cars are to be parked on the even numbered addresses on even numbered calendar days. On odd number days, residents may park in front of the odd number addresses. Those in cul-de-sacs may only park on the street on even numbered calendar days. Streets with “No Parking,” signs will continue to have no parking restrictions.

The odd/even parking is designed to allow the city’s snow plow trucks to be able to clear the streets after a snowfall.