Penn Ave. and Hay St. in Wilkinsburgh (Pittsburgh, Trooper: sex offenders, violent crime)

[Elder18]

Does anyone know this area?

Would it be advisable to wait for a bus there after dark, say 8:30pm on a Saturday night?

My main concern is that apparently the thugs who shot that guy in Homewood regularly robbed people at the bus stop there, and I'm concerned the same could happen to me and my wife.

Thanks!

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by Elder18

Does anyone know this area?

Would it be advisable to wait for a bus there after dark, say 8:30pm on a Saturday night?

My main concern is that apparently the thugs who shot that guy in Homewood regularly robbed people at the bus stop there, and I'm concerned the same could happen to me and my wife.

Thanks!

Basically what I have told my fiance is for her safety, I don't want her walking on Penn Avenue at all after she gets off the bus, which is around 5:15pm. We live on Braddock and it's a short walk from there. She wants to bring Subway home for us from time to time and I have told her only to do that immediately after she gets off the bus. I have asked her not to walk to that Sunoco or Family Dollar even in the day time unless she is with me. I was stared down our first Sunday morning here just walking to that Sunoco for orange juice.

[barneyg]

Originally Posted by Elder18

Does anyone know this area?

Would it be advisable to wait for a bus there after dark, say 8:30pm on a Saturday night?

My main concern is that apparently the thugs who shot that guy in Homewood regularly robbed people at the bus stop there, and I'm concerned the same could happen to me and my wife.

Thanks!

That's probably not the greatest idea. I never walked through there, however, so I can't tell you how it really feels. Let's say it's definitely not the safest place in town.

[suzeeq521]

vwscottie - I don't mean to sound like I'm picking on you, but I have noticed you mentioned several times in your posts that you tell you fiancee, for her safety, what she can and can not do.

This kind of bothers me. Especially this post where you tell her she shouldn't walk some where during the day.

This sounds really controlling. I know that maybe I am not getting the full intention of your posts (as studies show that sublties in on-line communication are lost most of the time.) so I wanted to bring this up and try to understand more.

I'm really not getting it. I mean, what do you suggest for the single women like me out there - that we never leave the house? Do you really believe that the city is that dangerous? (because you have mentioned it concerning several very different neighborhoods, including downtown)

What do you mean by "stared down"? Did you stare back? How were you carrying yourself?

As I said before, I'm not trying to pick on you - I really want to understand what you are saying better. As I said, I am a single woman, who has to get along in the city on her own, and from what I understand, I do not have the same kind of fear you do.

Thanks.

[pitt_transplant]

There has been a string of robberies along the busway there.

If you notice most people are looking around while they walk that area. male/female

My 6'2'' (not a bean pole either)boyfriend got mugged at 4 in the afternoon around there. It was a saturday.

Why not wait up on braddock instead? Its a main street and well lit.

Even the otherday my boyfriend was followed around hay/kelly by a person when he grabbed some McDonalds in the morning around 10 am.

suzeeq521 - I am the same way with my guy.
I think there is always a more aware/paranoid partner.

Also there is a good peppering of sex offenders in that area.
I myself dont like going out alone. I dont want to have to live through a bad experience or not. Cops who chatted it up with me have told me some horrible stories.
Women always have to be more aware. Unfortunate fact.

Heres a search for the sex offenders:
National Sex Offender Registry


It maps them out for you.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by suzeeq521

I know that maybe I am not getting the full intention of your posts

I guess I don't care what way you take them.

We have a terrific relationship. Oddly enough, it was a year today that I officially moved to Pittsburgh, and the 7th of November will be the anniversary that she answered an add I had on Craigslist. We became engaged on August 9th, and we are planning a huge wedding. We travel alot and enjoy every minute together. I've never laughed so much, and never had someone who's turned me on more than her. More information than you wanted? Oh well, just trying to illustrate.

I never tell her any of those things without her asking me first. When we first moved into the Point Breeze area, she asked me what I thought about her walking home along Penn Avenue. In case you are not aware, Point Breeze borders a neighborhood that boasts the most murders in Allegheny County this year, and less than a block from where she works, a woman was found chopped in half a little more than a month ago. So maybe you can see my concern there. As far being downtown, she was taking an eveninc class at CCAC, and got down there early once, and went to the Mcdonalds at Forbes and Wood Street. She told me a couple of guys were hitting on her and followed her out of Mcdonalds, so I didn't have to tell her anything there, she found out that Mcdonalds isn't such a great place to hang out. When we go to Pirates games we go by there often and it's packed with a crowd that I'd rather not be around.

As far as the incident at the Sunoco near my home, it wasn't even 8am on a Sunday morning, and I'm just minding my own business walking across Penn Ave to get some orange juice. There were two guys in an Isuzu Trooper, one got out, and since I have great peripheral vision, I could see the passenger watching every step I made, and did so after I left too. Someone was recently shot in the back when a robbery attempt went bad in that area, so maybe you can understand that?

We really only had this talk when we first moved in. She knows in my year here that I have gotten a good feel for the city and whats good and not good. We had a good understanding that when we moved into Point Breeze/Regent Square area, that we were moving into one of the most happening new areas of the city, but at the same time, we were not all that far from evil. If you don't believe me, pay attention to the news. All we really mention to eachother on a daily basis is maybe she's seen the police somewhere, or I'll mention I saw in the news that something happened here or there. We paid particular attention when that woman was found cut in half, and a week later, another woman was found shot dead while riding her bike.

[suzeeq521]

Hey, I just wanted to understand you better - if you don't care how what you write is taken, that is fine and I will then take all you say with a even larger grain of salt.

Also, you never really did address the questions I presented to you. I did my best to let you know that I was genuinely curious and I feel like you pretty much brushed me off. What about single women who don't have a finacee to walk them everywhere? Do you believe that we should all move out of the city?

I will say this: I am not stupid. I know what I see on the news. I also know that the news full of sensationalism. I know the most violent crime is not random. And I know that most women who are victims of violent crime are the victims of someone they know - most often their husband/boyfriend.

And I believe that there is a fine line between healthy fear and paranoia. (and as a former victim of violence - in the domestic form, I will admit to having seen both sides of that line.)

[Elder18]

I'm going to have to side with vwscottie on this one.

I know Pittsburgh better than my wife does, and while she's certainly no idiot, I always give her suggestions about where she and we might not want to be at certain times.

Granted, I'm a bit paranoid. I worry when she walks down Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill at night alone, and that's a really safe area.

There's alot of bad news out on Penn Ave. as that area is between two of the worst neighborhoods in and around Pittsburgh, Homewood and Wilkinsburg.

I work in that area too, so I've heard about the stuff that goes on out there and anyone is smart to encourage their spouse, be they male or female, to avoid the area if possible.

I think a little controlling behavior is fine as long as it's done out of concern, not disrespect.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by suzeeq521

Also, you never really did address the questions I presented to you. I did my best to let you know that I was genuinely curious and I feel like you pretty much brushed me off. What about single women who don't have a finacee to walk them everywhere? Do you believe that we should all move out of the city?

I don't "walk her everywhere" if that's what you are insinuating. As a matter of fact, we don't get to spend alot of time together period because of my work schedule. This topic really only came up when we moved into Point Breeze. She knows I have a good head on my shoulders and she knows I know whats good and bad in this city. She had alot of questions for me about the surrounding areas regarding where I am or am not comfortable with her walking or being without me being with her. I laid out my feelings on her walking or riding the bus to work, again, only after she had asked, and after I expressed my feelings, she responded by saying that she wouldn't want to be anywhere where I would worry about her. She looks out for me too; I work at the South Hills Village Mall where the bomb threat was made last Thursday, and she was frightened and wanted to make sure that I was taking all steps to be safe.

So should you move out of the city? I have expressed my findings and experiences over the past year first hand. You can take them with a "grain of salt" or whatever you want. We live in a neighborhood that is surrounded by million dollar mansions, but a very short drive away that changes very quickly. That's the theme of this city, and it sounds like you haven't tuned in to that.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by suzeeq521

I will say this: I am not stupid. I know what I see on the news. I also know that the news full of sensationalism. I know the most violent crime is not random. And I know that most women who are victims of violent crime are the victims of someone they know - most often their husband/boyfriend.

And I believe that there is a fine line between healthy fear and paranoia. (and as a former victim of violence - in the domestic form, I will admit to having seen both sides of that line.)

There's no sensationalism about a woman being found cut in half in our neighborhood, just as there is no sensationalism about the woman being found shot in the head riding her bicycle in the same neighborhood.

I don't think you have any understanding of the neighborhood our neighborhood borders. The way the press reported the bomb threat at SHV last Thursday probably had alot of sensationalism in it. The crime that occurs and is reported on in the North Side of town and in Homewood/Brushton and Wilkinsburg is the real thing. There's helicopters flying over head every day, and if you think they are out for a joy ride, then think again.