One of Our Grandsons Robbed at Thompson Park, Watertown, NY

City of Watertown, NY, as seen from Thompson Park. It's hard to believe the crime
 that has been happening here in recent years.  photo by Gary Walts

Watertown City Police released the following regarding the robbery of one of our grandsons at Thompson Park: 

Media Release
06/08/2024

Members of our uniformed patrol division responded to Thompson Park on 06/08/2024 at 2:25 am for a robbery. It is alleged that Jayden Holt, Jiovanni Chambers, and a 17-year-old juvenile female brandished a knife at Jacob Shipps, engaged in a physical altercation with him, and stole his money, credit cards, and car. It is also alleged that Jayden drove the victim’s vehicle while intoxicated, struck another motor vehicle, and then struck a stone wall on Park Dr where he was taken into custody.

Jayden Holt, an 18-year-old male residing at 9 Champion St in Carthage, NY, was charged with Robbery in the first degree, a class B felony, two counts of Grand Larceny in the fourth degree, class E felonies, Driving While Intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and Fleeing an Officer in a Motor Vehicle, a class A misdemeanor.

Jiovanni Chambers, a 19-year-old male residing at 395 Gaffney Dr in Watertown, NY, was charged with Robbery in the first degree, a class B felony, two counts of Grand Larceny in the fourth degree, class E felonies.

The 17-year-old female was charged with Robbery in the first degree, a class B felony, two counts of Grand Larceny in the fourth degree, class E felonies.

They are being held pending arraignment in Watertown City Court.

The Watertown Police Department were assisted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Jefferson County Probation Department, Guilfoyle Emergency Medical Service, and Watertown City Fire Department.

Joseph A. Giaquinto
Detective Sergeant

Stone wall at foot of Thompson Park after car thief crashed Jake's car into it.

Jake went to the park to meet a girl whom he had met online. When he got there he was assaulted and threatened with a knife. Assailants demanded his money, debit card and car keys. They also wanted his phone. Somehow Jake managed to get away with his phone and called 911. Police arrived and a car chase ensued. The robbers crashed Jake's car into a stone wall, totaling the vehicle. Clearly to us Jake was lured into a robbery / car jacking situation. 

It is unbelievable to us that such an incident could happen here. We are thankful for the quick police response and thankful Jake wasn't seriously injured. 

Trespassers at our vacant Clay St Apartment Arrested August 25 2022

 

2 of the trespassers at Clay St apartment house. Girl talking to police was one of those arrested. My daughter that lives close by is on the porch in the background.

About 10;30 this morning I got a call from a man that lives next door to our Clay St, Watertown apartment house. He saw people entering the only vacant unit. I called city police and headed there. It seems a man somehow pried the door open. He then told his girlfriend that he had an apartment and she could move in. A friend of hers dove her over there and proceeded to move in a few boxes of her belongings. UNREAL! I have no idea who these people were, never saw them before. I insisted upon them being arrested for trespassing. Well, police told me 2 of the three were. The man & the girlfriend. 

When the police arrived all three were in the apartment. The man got spooked and jumped out a back window. Police chased him down, capturing him a few blocks away. 

I believe this miscreant is a homeless person and has been visiting the fellow in the adjacent apartment. He saw the apartment had been vacant for a couple of months, so this morning he decided to let himself in.

After the dust settled I replaced the lock set and put a lock on the rear basement door. 

2 of the trespassers. Woman at left was charged with trespassing. Woman at right wasn't charged.

Unbelievably to me is girlfriend of man that broke into our vacant apartment started moving stuff in.

Unbelievably to me is girlfriend of man that broke into our vacant apartment started moving stuff in.

Unbelievably to me is girlfriend of man that broke into our vacant apartment started moving stuff in.

When I got home to Chaumont I had a beer and then mowed the backyard.