It Happens In Casa Grande Too (Phoenix, Chandler: sex offenders, crime, homes)

[115db]

We do have crime here in Casa Grande, like anywhere else, and with people moving out here from other directions, they bring their lifestyles with them.
Though we've experienced an occaisional shootout, or a gang rape in an apt complex, the usual drug busts, etc, it took many of us by surprise yesterday that no one coould get through town, there was a 1 block radius that had been blocked off, the 'police line do not cross' tape, any alternate route one may have wanted to take was blocked off, you actually had to go completey around all the way to McMurray (from town) to get anywhere. I tried cutting through the Kmart parking lot...couldnt get through. But thats when it came to my attention there was somwething going on at the Wells Fargo (my old bank!) that affected several businesses in the area. There was a crowd beginning to build in the parking lot, police units everywhere...so I stopped to ask a bystander what was going on. There was a robbery in progress at the bank. I called my friend who's son is an officer, and she called him to learn this robbery had just turned into a hostage situation.
What concerned me was I have a friend who works there. Everyone pretty m much knows everyone there. And its not common out here as in other places so it was more surprising to see it happen so close to home. Thankfully, she wasnt working at the time. But knowing there most likely would be kids, elderly people, and young women in the building, it could have gotten ugly, if the robbers wanted more than just money.
My friend did call a couple of hours later though to tell me someone was now in custody but the news didnt say anything about this....at least, as of last night The local paper wont publish it probably for a couple of days, for anyone who wants to look it up,as for some reason I guess it takes that long to put something on this 6 page newspaper, lol, but most importantly, I SO hope no one was hurt and they got (all those) guy(s) before anything serious could happen.
Most of us are used to seeing this type of thing on tv, in Phx or out in the city, and Im sure this isnt the first time its happened here, but to see it in progress, so close, here, surprises a lot of us.

[Magnum Mike]

It must have been a very upset K-Mart shopper.

[Mustangracer777]

Wow. Nothing usually happens down in "the Grande".

I do remember a high speed police chase through downtown two years ago, when I was looking to move down from Tempe. It's mostly boring...except for getting pulled over on 387 once a month. 45 MPH my butt.

[nitram]

If you go into google and type in, casa grande area connect, you'll get the latest crime stats, 2004, if interested.

You'll also find that they had nearly 30 class 1 registered sex offenders living there.

[topjimmy]

Ghetto Grande.

[TERESA REYNOLDS]

Although Casa Grande Had A Ghetto Look To It Initially Many New Developments Have Been Built And Are Very Nice And Because They Were O So L Low In Price At First Many Californians Settled Here I Am One Of Them. The Ghetto Look Is Starting To Disappear The Population Has Increased From 28,000 To 51,000 In 3 Years Its Amazing! A Large Shopping Center Is In Process Of Being Built We Have Had To Shop In Chandler Until It Is Finished. Of Course We Will Probably Get A Number Of Bad People Due To Many Homes Bought For Investment Were Rented Initially The Building Has Slowed Down As In Other Parts Of Our Country And Prices Are Reasonable For Homes. A Large Home In Phoenix Like Ours Would Sell For 400,000 We Are Listed As Being Worth About 250,000 In California It Would Sell For 700,000