Tourist: Armed robbery attempt at Packard Plant shrugged off by police

Robert Wallace, of Australia. Photos by Steve Neavling
Robert Wallace, of Australia. Photos by Steve Neavling

An Australian photographer got a quick, bitter dose of Detroit and its police force.

While taking photos outside of the abandoned Packard Plant on July 25, Robert Wallace was chased by a gunman who wanted his equipment. Wallace dove into the bed of his friend’s pickup truck as the assailant pointed the gun at him, demanding he give up the camera and other gear. buy temovate online https://mabvi.org/wp-content/languages/new/over/temovate.html over the counter

“I was just waiting for the bullet to pierce my skin,” he told me.

Robert Wallace in the Cass Corridor.
Robert Wallace in the Cass Corridor.

The pickup sped off, and the gunman never pulled the trigger.

But what happened next really irked Wallace. Police declined to file a police report, saying a crime was never committed, he said. buy xifaxan online https://mabvi.org/wp-content/languages/new/over/xifaxan.html over the counter

“A guy brandishing a pistol within inches of us isn’t a crime?” Wallace asked.

Police told us Friday that they are investigating why a report wasn’t taken.

Packard Plant
Packard Plant

It’s a common complaint that Detroit police fail to take official reports from crime victims, a practice that results in artificially low crime rates. This year, Chief James Craig is reporting sizable drops in all crimes.

“I can’t understand why the police wouldn’t want people to know where crimes are being committed,” Wallace said.

Last year,  two tourists were carjacked in the same area and robbed of their money, camera and cell phones.

On Christmas eve, urban explorers found a dead body in the Packard Plant.

Police have largely ignored the Packard Plant area, despite persistent illegal activity and several murders in the area. buy diflucan online https://mabvi.org/wp-content/languages/new/over/diflucan.html over the counter

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.

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