MetaFilter posts tagged with london and crime

A Tale of Two Cities

HumanComplex — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:54:09 -0800

Crime: A Tale of Two Cities. When "The Wire" gained popularity in Great Britain, we were contacted by a London-based journalist who proposed a job swap. Mark Hughes, a crime reporter with The Independent, a national newspaper in the United Kingdom, wanted to come to Baltimore to see if the city’s police officers, drug dealers, prosecutors and politicians bore any resemblance to those on show. We agreed to complete the exchange by sending our police reporter, Justin Fenton, to London to compare crime trends. Articles from The Independent: Mark Hughes in Baltimore: Just minutes after I arrived, I was at the scene of a shooting ... 189 homicides this year – this is The Wire, only real The trials of 'Baltimore's Boris'' Wire' star joins real fight against crime Justin Fenton in London: The sound of fireworks reminds me of home 'Disputes are pettier than in Baltimore' Britain's use of DNA is light years ahead Keeping children out of the gangs' clutches Readers from both sides of the pond react to the story.

Sex and Violence

fearfulsymmetry — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:04:28 -0800

London's 30 Most Erotic Writers, 50 Crime Writers To Read Before You Die

The Siege of Sidney Street

liquidindian — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:25:57 -0800

Gun crime on the streets of London? It's not new. Here's a tale of robbery, murder, revolution, and Churchill in a topper. First, the Tottenham Outrage, a factory robbery resulting in two murders, 27 injuries, and a bizarre chase. The villains are Latvian anarchists, a group who are trying to finance their revolutionary aims through crime. The next year, a plan to tunnel into a jewelers is botched, and attempted burglary becomes the Houndsditch Murders . The police investigate, and on locating the gang, The Siege of Sidney Street begins. The army is called in, and the Home Secretary pops by and assumes control. After much shooting, a fire breaks out, and two men burn to death. But neither of them is the mysterious gang leader, Peter the Painter, and the five later tried are all acquitted. Churchill, however, is guilty of showing off a bit.

V.I.L.E. strikes again!

poorlydrawnplato — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 13:02:38 -0800

Museum fears stolen statue worth $5 million will be sold for scrap Reminds me of that "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" game/tv show. I always thought it was stupid, because nobody ever steals big heavy landmarks.

Face it, we'll never know

jokeefe — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 17:36:35 -0800

Jack the Ripper: the most complete online resource. A wealth of information, from scanned letters purportedly sent by the killer, to contemporary police reports, to recent scholarship and discussion, articles about Victorian London, social history, and dissertations. To my mind the most interesting of all are the detailed biographies of the victims, which give a glimpse of the difficult life experienced by working-class Londoners, especially women, during the mid 19th century. Note: The site has been mentioned here before, but only in the context of two discussions about Patricia Cornwell's book claiming that the murders were committed by artist Walter Sickert (1, 2). Some images NSFW.

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

mediareport — Thu, 03 Apr 2003 16:43:15 -0800

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London, 1674 to 1834 A fantastic, fully searchable database of criminal cases from another era, e.g., speaking scandalous and reflecting Words on His Majesty, assault with sodomitical intent and the appalling Mortal Wound with a Pitchfork on the hinder part of the Head. The Old Bailey's published record was a popular read at the time. Also included is a typology of crimes, a history of London policing before the bobbies, essays about gender and punishment and lots more historical background. [via the always marvelous Researchbuzz]

badstone — Thu, 17 Jan 2002 15:28:21 -0800

NDb -(60% x Nc/Nt +40% x Dc/Dt) x 17,585
"Mathematicians called in by the Metropolitan Police think they have worked out the best way to beat crime in the capital."
Are there any UK mathematician/cops out there that know what the variables actually are?

ryanshepard — Tue, 18 Sep 2001 18:43:16 -0800

Afghan Cabby Beaten Into Paralysis in London: This after two white men pounced on a 19-year-old Asian woman in Swindon on Friday and repeatedly hit her in the head with a bat.