In the last 90 days, there have been 33 unsolved street robberies reported in the Hillcrest and North Park areas, according to the San Diego Police Department Western Division. More than one third of the robberies involved a handgun or knife in the attacks.

This information was presented to the Stonewall Citizens Patrol during its meeting with the SDPD on Nov. 6 at The Center. This meeting took place on the same day that another man was stabbed in the chest while walking along Washington Street in Hillcrest at 2:00 p.m. He has been hospitalized with a serious injury.

Members of the The Center’s staff believe the actual number of crimes is even higher given the fear some victims have of reporting an incident, especially victims who are active-duty military.

Police officers said that eight people are in custody and may be tied to some of these crimes. Due to the speed of the attacks and the physical trauma to the victims, good descriptions of the attackers have been a problem. However, police officers say attackers are generally comprised of two to four black males, between the ages of 16 and 25 years old. The suspects approach victims on foot and then attack without warning.

“The police are telling us to walk in pairs and to avoid walking alone, especially late at night,” said Bob Lehman, organizer of the Stonewall Citizens Patrol, which was formed in response to the escalating violent attacks within the Hillcrest area.

Police officers said that most of the crimes appear to be opportunistic in nature rather than hate-crime specific, such as occurred last July during the San Diego Pride festival in Balboa Park. Most attacks appear to be against the elderly, late-night pedestrians and people who may be impaired by alcohol. The police do not believe the crimes are gang related.

The patrol is being supported by Councilmember Toni Atkins, the SDPD and local businesses. Two full-time detectives have been assigned to investigate these crimes, and San Diego County Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward leading to any arrests. In addition, SDPD officers are visiting businesses in the affected areas to alert their security forces to the crime spree.

In coordination with the SDPD, the patrol is in the process of developing training for volunteers to help patrol the area. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Lehman by e-mailing editor@uptownpub.com or calling Ben Gomez at (619) 459-1019. San Diego Crime Stoppers can be reached at (888) 580-TIPS.

- Press release