Kansas City police say groups targeting unsuspecting people in Midtown and near the Plaza are extremely dangerous.
An uptick in armed robberies and break-ins in the area may be related.
The West Plaza Neighborhood Association held their monthly meeting Tuesday night and many who attended were concerned about one thing—crime.
Sgt. Andrew Gore told the group their neighborhood was being targeted. The suspects are fearless and violent.
“These robberies are violent, these guys are heavily armed,” Gore said.
Police noticed a pattern in the armed robberies:
- Victim walking alone
- Attacked on dark street
- Suspects armed
Sgt. Gore said police consolidated resources to tackle this problem. As a result, they have suspects in custody.
Some of the suspects are young teens.
The West Plaza isn’t alone, police say groups have targeted victims all across Midtown Kansas City.
People have been robbed in the Southmoreland neighborhood, south to 57th Street, and leaving the Westport area.
Police advise:
- Don’t walk alone, even from a car parked on the street
- Report suspicious activity to police
- If confronted, don't fight back
------
Shannon Halligan can be reached at shannon.halligan@kshb.com.