Armed teen robs patrons at Woodbridge Pub before he messes with wrong person

The armed teen demanded anything of value. Another teen stood as lookout. Then their plan was foiled.

An armed teenager stormed into Woodbridge Pub in Detroit Friday night and began robbing patrons of their cell phones and money before he messed with the wrong person.

The teen, whose weapon turned out to be a BB gun, went from patron to patron demanding anything of value, employees at the Trumbull Street pub confirmed Saturday evening. Another teen stood as lookout.

The teens’ plans were thwarted when one patron refused to give up his wallet.

“The same gentleman grabbed the kids BB gun, kicked him in the jewels and chased him out the door,” Woodbridge Pub posted on its Facebook page. “Some people were scared and some phones will be replaced. I didn’t get a chance to thank the kick ass gentleman, but I’d like to shake his hand and buy him a few pops.”

The robbery is a potential setback for a neighborhood on the rise. With historic homes and public murals, Woodbridge has been attracting new, young and creative Detroiters.

But the pub’s response was one of resilience and determination.

“To my patrons who may have gotten a scare last night, I want to assure you that we will not be intimidated,” the pub posted on Facebook. “And to the wanna be thugs … if you had come to me in need, I would have given you more than what you got for a couple of swiped iPhones. And you could have kept your integrity as men.”

Got tips or suggestions? Contact Steve at sneavling@gmail.com.

Steve Neavling is an investigative journalist and former city hall reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Living on the city’s east side, Neavling explores corruption, civil liberties and the underbelly of an oft-misunderstood city.

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About Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling, who lives on the city’s east side, is an investigative journalist, a freelance reporter for Reuters and former city hall reporter for the Detroit Free Press. A journalist for 13 years, his stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.

http://www.facebook.com/kfdavis Karen F. Davis

This is not a “setback” for the neighborhood, no more than a similar event would be for Brooklyn. Woodbridge is also not newly “on the rise.” It has been a great area to live in at least since I first moved here in the 1960s, and still is. We love our pub, and this event will not run us out.
- bebow
  
  This almost comical event won’t run you out of your neighborhood, but if you think the perpetrators won’t gather a crew to return for retaliation behind what happened there, you’re sadly mistaken. It ain’t the 1960s anymore. The criminal element running wild in the unpoliced neighborhoods has no fear of consequences, not even of death.
bebow

There aren’t going to be islands of safety and comfort in a sea of unpoliced squalor. The criminals aren’t confined to the lawless neighborhoods.

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