The view from Robert Roy-Laliberte's Mackay St. apartment window is like watching a live television crime show, complete with drug deals, muggings and beatings.
The only thing missing, says Roy-Laliberte, are the cops.
"I see a gang of kids in my alley, rummaging through the spoils of their recent successes, pulling at things like hyenas, tossing away what they don't want," he said. "I once called 911 because they were breaking into a car.
"After two hours of no police response, I went to bed."
The 36-year-old says that since a McDonald's restaurant opened in 2002 at the corner of Mackay and Ste. Catherine Sts., the area has become so dangerous that his girlfriend travels by taxi the few blocks between home and work, out of fear of being assaulted.
There is, he says, a gang of boys and young men, about 14 to 20 years old, who have claimed the restaurant as their base and are ruling with impunity.
Last Sunday morning, Myles Harrison, 20, and his girlfriend, Vanessa Payne, were attacked in the McDonald's after Harrison intervened when a stranger began harassing Payne. Harrison was knocked to the ground, and Payne's wallet stolen.
Once the couple got outside -with the help of another customer and the restaurant's security guard -the two went to police officers sitting in cruisers nearby. But Harrison said that instead of helping him, police hit him with their night sticks and told them to leave the area.
McDonald's spokesman Jason Patuano said since the restaurant is located in an area where there is a lot of nightlife, things are bound to happen. Staff are instructed to call police when there's an incident inside, which they did when Harrison and Payne were attacked.
"Our main preoccupation is the safety of our employees and customers and for now, a lot of (this violence) is happening outside (the restaurant)," he said, adding the restaurant has had a security guard on duty every weekend since it opened.
Any talk of a gang using the restaurant as a base is "pure speculation," he said.
But there seems to be a pattern in the crimes and how they are committed. Last year, the Gazette wrote about an 18-year-old Dawson College student was slapped around, then had his wallet and cellphone stolen at the same location. A friend who came to his rescue was knocked down and had his phone taken as well. They reported the same modus operandi: one person creates a distraction, then a group attacks and robs.
Around the same time, Diane O'Neill's 18-year-old son, Matthew, was also attacked in the same McDonald's. One man asked him for the time, then two others grabbed him from behind and stole his wallet. O'Neill approached The Gazette with her story this week following reports of Harrison's ordeal.
"He ran to a police cruiser that was passing by," O'Neill said. "The police rolled down their window, but they didn't even ask if he was all right, they didn't even go in the direction of the guys who had just stolen the wallet."
Matthew headed for his car, bruised and battered, to find a parking ticket on the windshield.
Roy-Laliberte, who says he's seen hundreds of incidents over the last eight years ranging from aggressive sexual slurs to theft of phones and wallets, says he's not surprised police didn't help Payne and Harrison and others.
He said that when he spoke about the problem to friends who are police officers, they responded with a laugh.
"They feel like it's a lost cause with these kids," Roy-Laliberte said. "They chase them, book them and these kids get out five minutes later.
"It's not worth the paperwork for the police."
Montreal police confirmed the corner "is a well-known area" because when the clubs in the area close, patrons, who are often intoxicated, spill out on the street.
"But we always respond to these calls because it could end in a homicide," said police spokesman Sgt. Ian Lafreniere. "This is our job, we have to do that."
When told of the lack of response to Roy-Laliberte's calls, Lafreniere said that often when police arrive, the assailants and victims have already left.
"Or, just because you don't see a police car, doesn't mean we haven't responded," he said.
Lafreniere said they've taken "different approaches" with 24-hour restaurants, such as McDonald's, to get them to close earlier. He refused to elaborate.
McDonald's Patuano said as far as he knows, there's been no suggestion of an earlier closing time for the restaurant.
Roy-Laliberte, who has a security and promotions company, estimates he's called 911 between 30 and 50 times, but since police rarely respond, he's given up.
"The (gang) hunts in packs, starts fights, and robs people as they walk by," he said. "I've seen it, downtown sees it, and yes, the police see it.
"The bottom line is nothing is being done and it's just getting worse."
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Crime+plagues+area+around+McDonald/4112680/story.html
The only thing missing, says Roy-Laliberte, are the cops.
"I see a gang of kids in my alley, rummaging through the spoils of their recent successes, pulling at things like hyenas, tossing away what they don't want," he said. "I once called 911 because they were breaking into a car.
"After two hours of no police response, I went to bed."
The 36-year-old says that since a McDonald's restaurant opened in 2002 at the corner of Mackay and Ste. Catherine Sts., the area has become so dangerous that his girlfriend travels by taxi the few blocks between home and work, out of fear of being assaulted.
There is, he says, a gang of boys and young men, about 14 to 20 years old, who have claimed the restaurant as their base and are ruling with impunity.
Last Sunday morning, Myles Harrison, 20, and his girlfriend, Vanessa Payne, were attacked in the McDonald's after Harrison intervened when a stranger began harassing Payne. Harrison was knocked to the ground, and Payne's wallet stolen.
Once the couple got outside -with the help of another customer and the restaurant's security guard -the two went to police officers sitting in cruisers nearby. But Harrison said that instead of helping him, police hit him with their night sticks and told them to leave the area.
McDonald's spokesman Jason Patuano said since the restaurant is located in an area where there is a lot of nightlife, things are bound to happen. Staff are instructed to call police when there's an incident inside, which they did when Harrison and Payne were attacked.
"Our main preoccupation is the safety of our employees and customers and for now, a lot of (this violence) is happening outside (the restaurant)," he said, adding the restaurant has had a security guard on duty every weekend since it opened.
Any talk of a gang using the restaurant as a base is "pure speculation," he said.
But there seems to be a pattern in the crimes and how they are committed. Last year, the Gazette wrote about an 18-year-old Dawson College student was slapped around, then had his wallet and cellphone stolen at the same location. A friend who came to his rescue was knocked down and had his phone taken as well. They reported the same modus operandi: one person creates a distraction, then a group attacks and robs.
Around the same time, Diane O'Neill's 18-year-old son, Matthew, was also attacked in the same McDonald's. One man asked him for the time, then two others grabbed him from behind and stole his wallet. O'Neill approached The Gazette with her story this week following reports of Harrison's ordeal.
"He ran to a police cruiser that was passing by," O'Neill said. "The police rolled down their window, but they didn't even ask if he was all right, they didn't even go in the direction of the guys who had just stolen the wallet."
Matthew headed for his car, bruised and battered, to find a parking ticket on the windshield.
Roy-Laliberte, who says he's seen hundreds of incidents over the last eight years ranging from aggressive sexual slurs to theft of phones and wallets, says he's not surprised police didn't help Payne and Harrison and others.
He said that when he spoke about the problem to friends who are police officers, they responded with a laugh.
"They feel like it's a lost cause with these kids," Roy-Laliberte said. "They chase them, book them and these kids get out five minutes later.
"It's not worth the paperwork for the police."
Montreal police confirmed the corner "is a well-known area" because when the clubs in the area close, patrons, who are often intoxicated, spill out on the street.
"But we always respond to these calls because it could end in a homicide," said police spokesman Sgt. Ian Lafreniere. "This is our job, we have to do that."
When told of the lack of response to Roy-Laliberte's calls, Lafreniere said that often when police arrive, the assailants and victims have already left.
"Or, just because you don't see a police car, doesn't mean we haven't responded," he said.
Lafreniere said they've taken "different approaches" with 24-hour restaurants, such as McDonald's, to get them to close earlier. He refused to elaborate.
McDonald's Patuano said as far as he knows, there's been no suggestion of an earlier closing time for the restaurant.
Roy-Laliberte, who has a security and promotions company, estimates he's called 911 between 30 and 50 times, but since police rarely respond, he's given up.
"The (gang) hunts in packs, starts fights, and robs people as they walk by," he said. "I've seen it, downtown sees it, and yes, the police see it.
"The bottom line is nothing is being done and it's just getting worse."
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Crime+plagues+area+around+McDonald/4112680/story.html