Lowery Park Ramp

[Capt. Troy]

A buddy of mine was mugged Saturday evening and beaten badly. They stole his 21 Master angler and crashed it. It is the same color as mine so if you see it on face book it wasn't me. My phone has been blowing up.

Police are saying the place has become a hot bed for gang activity.

[flatwater]

Wow. Did they catch the guys? Also, any pics for those of us without FB?

[JEM]

WOW!    It sounds like you need to be packing just to go fishing in South Florida now.   I guess I could say plenty more........but just WOW!

[Capt. Troy]

Me no face book either so no pics, just phone calls coming in.

This BS is out of control. My buddy carries most of the time.

It is just a prime example of the world we live in.

This is a heads up for this area. Take it for what it's worth and watch your six.

If I hear more I will post it.

 

Scares me the most they got the drop on him. Guy, kinda like me that tries to be prepared for such.

[VsteveV]

I live very close to Lowery Park and visit there often with my son. I've seen plenty of homeless, and the occasional shady characters, but never felt unsafe with who ever I came across. This is troubling. When was this? 

[Capt. Troy]

1 minute ago, VsteveV said:

I live very close to Lowery Park and visit there often with my son. I've seen plenty of homeless, and the occasional shady characters, but never felt unsafe with who ever I came across. This is troubling. When was this? 

 This past Saturday evening after dark. Known gang activity is what I have heard.

It was 3 young Hispanics with tats. As the facts come out I will share for others to be aware.

 

 I Try not to provide fake news but the info I will share will come from the victim when I see him. He is a street savvy guy that has been around here for a while.

He must of felt safe as well as you do around there. I'm surprised there aren't 3 body bags. That's all I can say about that.

[hurricane]

Holy crap, that ***.  Hope the police find these criminals,  and get that place cleaned up.  

[VsteveV]

I was there yesterday around 1 just driving through. It looked normal. How disappointing  

.

[Capt. Troy]

1 hour ago, VsteveV said:

I was there yesterday around 1 just driving through. It looked normal. How disappointing  

.

When the sun goes down out come the night crawlers.

The boat may be a total loss. I just got off the phone with the Victim. He is home.

I will say that he confesses to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 3 on 1 and they beat him for his wallet and boat. No match for younger kids having fun as they call it. They would have most likely got me to "maybe". Started from "give me a boat ride dude", to a sucker punch and pile on him while he was trying to retrieve his boat at the ramp.

 

I launch solo a lot in the dark. My preference is to not see or to speak to anyone much less a group of 3 having zero business at the location.

Not gonna play Monday morning Quarterback but chances are the outcome would have been different for me and probably not for the better on my side.

I would hate to, but I would.

 

We have some highly trained mods on this forum that I respect. They like me never want to get in that situation but I have learned to try and avoid getting into them to start with. I told my bud this tonight and he agreed with me that he should have not been alone at that local at that time of the evening.

[VsteveV]

I often am alone as well, including at that ramp. Never again at that ramp now. I agree, wrong place, wrong time, because generally that area around the park is decent overall, one can never tell when a few punks decide to do something stupid. Ive also never seen much in the way of gangs or gang tagging so I'd like to believe it was just a few dumbass kids.

It's definatly not Carrollwood or Nothdale, but its not as bad as most would think, espically the way Seminole Hights has progressed over the years. The bad pockets are between Watters and Bush.

 But what a horriable situation, however I'm glad your friend is ok. What did they do to the boat that its a total loss?

And I'm all for a meet and greet at that park for a gathering of support for your friend and show a sign of solidarity..

[JEM]

1 hour ago, VsteveV said:

I often am alone as well, including at that ramp. Never again at that ramp now. I agree, wrong place, wrong time, because generally that area around the park is decent overall, one can never tell when a few punks decide to do something stupid. Ive also never seen much in the way of gangs or gang tagging so I'd like to believe it was just a few dumbass kids.

It's definatly not Carrollwood or Nothdale, but its not as bad as most would think, espically the way Seminole Hights has progressed over the years. The bad pockets are between Watters and Bush.

 But what a horriable situation, however I'm glad your friend is ok. What did they do to the boat that its a total loss?

And I'm all for a meet and greet at that park for a gathering of support for your friend and show a sign of solidarity..

I dunno about that.  Capt Troy reported that the police said that area is a hotbed for gang activity.  "dumbass kids."  Hmmmmmm.  I dunno about that either.  "dumbass kids" don't beat up an adult, steal his boat, and then crash it.   At least, not "dumbass kids" in my dictionary!  Oh well, I said too much, I guess!

[lurem]

I use that ramp and sometimes get a bad feeling in my stomach when others are around hanging out without boats. Another thing I don't like is it has a remote parking lot because the regular lot only holds a dozen trailers or so at the ramp. If you have to go park your truck or go retrieve it from the remote lot many things can happen while you are gone.

If a meet and greet is scheduled then post it up. I will do my best to attend.

Last, I have been looking online at the local news websites (don't have facebook) for a mention of the incident but can't find anything. *** that they don't post up anything.

Troy, I am glad that you posted it up for everyone to see.

I was at that ramp with my GF about a month ago and they had a dead body on the dock. Said they found it floating in the river.

[Capt. Troy]

From what my buddy told me the hull and deck cap got separated. They hit something pretty hard. It's a 99 21 MA.

 

As for a meet and greet no thanks at that place. The Police told my buddy that they indeed know of gang presence in that area.

[VsteveV]

Well there not smart *** kids!!!! So use whatever adjective you want to describe them and there there NOT so smart desision making.

I visit that park 2-3 times a week with my son and have never felt uncomfortable there. Granted I do not go there often on the weekends, but there is too much activity there for me to believe its  a "hot bed gang activity". Now I do believe there is some riffraff close by but I do not believe that park is a target or staging area.

*** cause I grew up in that area and I'm sorry but I do take it somewhat personally that loosers like that make the neighborhood bad. 

 

[hurricane]

Lonely dark early morning boat launches are what drove to get my concealed carry. Hard thing to think about shooting someone, but a 3 on 1 situation is a time for defense.

[lurem]

VsteveV is right, all the pavilions are full on the weekends with gatherings and parties with kids playing.

[localangler]

It is a shame to hear that.  I'm not familiar with that boat ramp or any in Florida. But I do know that any boat ramp near Charleston SC has a potential for problems. They are all good places for couples to "get to know each other" after dark and when a guy is distracted by his company he becomes an easy target, parked cars with valuables. Or like your buddy who is doing a early morning or after dark launch/recovery.  I normally carry and due to my line of work pay a good bit of attention to my surroundings but I get distracted at the ramp sometimes. I'm bad about leaving the truck running while I put in the plug and pull straps. While my head is down I've got very little awareness of my surroundings. Maybe it is time to reevaluate my boat ramp procedures. 

 

All of the above make it a prime hunting spot for people up to no good.  Heck in Florida I could see guys doing that to steal outboards. 

[Capt. Troy]

6 hours ago, VsteveV said:

Well there not smart *** kids!!!! So use whatever adjective you want to describe them and there there NOT so smart desision making.

I visit that park 2-3 times a week with my son and have never felt uncomfortable there. Granted I do not go there often on the weekends, but there is too much activity there for me to believe its  a "hot bed gang activity". Now I do believe there is some riffraff close by but I do not believe that park is a target or staging area.

*** cause I grew up in that area and I'm sorry but I do take it somewhat personally that loosers like that make the neighborhood bad. 

 

Just relaying what was told to me! I have lived here for 58 years. I am steps away of Pasco county now. Been moving north. Went to Carrolwood elementary school but came from the west side of the tracks ." Dale Mabry" Yep, Citrus Park/trailer park.

 

I will talk to a few folks in law enforcement that are my neighbors when I see them. They live close by for a reason. To escape the inner city BS.

There is no safe place any more. The area I speak of is no different than many. I have taken and was taken to that zoo and park "safety village" for many years growing up. You got to pick and choose where you go in any city after the sun goes down. Lowery Park is in close proximity to bad parts of the hood.

This is a heads up. Gandy is not safe, the Courtney Cambell "Santeria chicken feet" is not safe and many others. When your alone launching a boat, leaving you truck running with the doors open during that process, walking across a parking lot and so on you become a very easy target. At the wee hours I have seen some very crazy activity all around my area at boat ramps.

There is a big difference at these parks and ramps when they are active with lot's of folks hanging around. The idiots during the day scare the criminals off.

 

I keep my carry weapon in my pocket every morning ready with no holster at the ramp. The reality is I would never even think to do so as I have more fear of them breaking in my truck and stealing my left behind gun while I'm on the water. That fear may prove to be a huge disadvantage to thugs like the ones that got my buddy.

 

 

[Capt. Troy]

5 hours ago, lurem said:

VsteveV is right, all the pavilions are full on the weekends with gatherings and parties with kids playing.

I agree. But it is a no brainier to understand that after dark and early mornings the not so nice folks tend to stage and take advantage of those alone and not paying attention.  When your focused on launching and retrieving a boat most of us are just that.

 

[VsteveV]

Hwy 60 is bad and on weekends, its like a congregation of pwc's. I will never go back there on the weekends. And Gandy has worried me at times with the amount of people that fish from the dock. I've recently started taking the boat keys with me to/from the truck. Not to mention how annoying it is trying to dock and they are right there in the way. Its sad to think how we take for granted the way we operate at the ramp and leaving ourselves and our valuables vulnerable for a smash/grab.... or frankly "jacked" right in front of our faces. Its the world we live in.

[flatwater]

1 hour ago, VsteveV said:

Hwy 60 is bad and on weekends, its like a congregation of pwc's. I will never go back there on the weekends. And Gandy has worried me at times with the amount of people that fish from the dock. I've recently started taking the boat keys with me to/from the truck. Not to mention how annoying it is trying to dock and they are right there in the way. Its sad to think how we take for granted the way we operate at the ramp and leaving ourselves and our valuables vulnerable for a smash/grab.... or frankly "jacked" right in front of our faces. Its the world we live in.

Honestly they have become way too relaxed with how many people they let crowd the gandy ramp to fish. When you pull up they act like you are interrupting them and often don’t move lines at all. About 6 months ago I had a guy try to dip some bait out of my Live well when I went to pick up my truck. Crazy. He said “I figured you didn’t need it anymore since you were done for the day”

[VsteveV]

34 minutes ago, flatwater said:

Honestly they have become way too relaxed with how many people they let crowd the gandy ramp to fish. When you pull up they act like you are interrupting them and often don’t move lines at all. About 6 months ago I had a guy try to dip some bait out of my Live well when I went to pick up my truck. Crazy. He said “I figured you didn’t need it anymore since you were done for the day”

 

I totally agree !! And a situation where someone helps themselves like that will eventually get someone shot!! You would think with the marine unit near by you would think there would be more of a presence. I can't remember the last time I've seen one on patrol, and Gandy is my home ramp. 4-5 times a month. 

[Capt. Troy]

The Gandy ramp is where which I have posted before a guy tried to climb in my running truck while I was backing my boat off the trailer.

I jumped on the dock without even tying my boat and rushed the guy all the while in the process for reaching into my slickers pocket and getting dang near ready to pull my weapon. He saw my movement to my jacket and put his hands up and stepped back and then cussed me as he backed off and away. All this happening while standing within 100 yards of the FWC district office at 5 am one morning.

Talk about messing up your game plan for the day. My charter suffered due to this day start. My level of concentration was way off the rest of the day.

When I returned that afternoon to load up the same POS was sitting on the dock drinking out of a brown bag.

 

It almost makes me want to push the open carry law for this state regulated to coming and going from fishing or hunting. Look it up. You might be surprised.

[VsteveV]

I, like you, often launch and retrieve alone till clients, friends/family arrive. I have been lucky not to experiace something like that before, but hearing these stories just made me re think my plan when launching/retreiving from now on.

So where or what exactly is FWC doing? I NEVER see them around the ramp. One would think they would have more of a presence, or at the least put the green horns out there. They have to know whats going on out there. And I'm sure there are plunty of similar situations happening and being reported. I'm just one lucky SOB for it not to have happened to me ...yet!!! With a toddler I dont get out nearly as much anymore, but still...4-5 times a month with  most of them at Gandy.....I hope Idid not jinx myself.... I've got a trip this Thursday evening...

[flatwater]

I also wanted to add that it doesn't matter what ramp you are at.. it can happen anywhere and what happened to me once was the perfect example of that. 

Last spring I was launching my boat at my family's place in Sanibel at the boat ramp on the island. Wife was in the boat and I dropped it in. Pulled the trailer out of the water and put the truck in park on the ramp. Started to walk down to the boat to check something out and heard something behind me. Sure enough some young guy had jumped out the bushes and was about 2 steps away from entering my truck.

This was the middle of the day and there was NO one at the ramp, no other cars, boats or people. I yelled at him and he quickly stopped and tried to act like he was just looking at my truck and then started to yell back asking me if I thought I "owned the ramp."   When I started to jog back to the truck towards him he ran away - Im guessing to a car that was waiting for him.

Pretty gutsy to do on an island with one way on/off. Called the police but they were not able to locate him.