A reader’s husband had his iPhone stolen on Tuesday, April 1. Thanks to phone tracking, they knew where it was. They tried to get the police to go after it. The police didn’t seem interested. Is this a case of “Big city, a lot of crime” or a missed opportunity? Read the letter below and a response from a West Philly police officer.

If West Philly police want to stop crime, why do they take it so lightly?

My husband’s iPhone was stolen last night. This morning, the thief called one of the contacts in the phone book on the phone, someone who happens to live nearby. Our friend took the bait to buy it back trying to be helpful. In a park at 48th & Lancaster, he gave the guy $20. The guy threw him just the case and ran away. Our friend came to our house at 5am today to tell us the story. We tracked the phone on “find my iPhone”. Seeing it still at the same park, but starting to move down 48th St, we called 911. When asked what to expect, they said an officer will call us within an hour to take a report. I pointed out that we knew where a thief was located at this minute. I was given attitude, “It’s just a stolen phone, ma’am.” I pointed out that I am the one trying to be helpful if police want to affect crime in the area. The 911 operator backed down a bit and said that it’s not how it works. Police do not go retrieve stolen phones. They will take our statement for our insurance purposes.

I know it is just a phone. But really!? We received the same attitude after a break-in to our house in 2005 – “here is the statement for your insurance”. As for the phone, we locked it, so he had no choice but to call us and try to sell it back, stating he just purchased it on 46th & Market, but that is silly, as we were tracking it. Even if I played along, I did not feel comfortable for either of us to meet him. I offered him a chance to be a nice person and leave it at a business for us, but I guess he’ll sell it somewhere and we will buy a new one.

Seems like a missed opportunity by the police to me. Should we do something different next time?

Here’s a response from officer Joe Murray from the Southwest Police Detectives.

The only thing I’ll refute is that we definitely don’t take crime lightly. This is the dispatcher’s fault and we would obviously love to track the phone. They have every right to feel outraged.

The only thing I’d do differently is drive right to the district or Southwest Detectives and tell a cop directly. It’s happened before and we’ve gone out and recovered the phone.

Three men are in stable condition following two shootings in the area last night, according to various reports.

A 55-year-old man was shot in the leg shortly after 11 p.m. on Sunday, Guncrisis.org reported. The shooting took place near 54th and Pine streets when a bar fight between two men escalated, according to Joe Murray of Southwest Detectives. A male was taken into custody and the weapon was recovered by the police. The victim was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he was listed in stable condition.

Two young men, ages 20 and 21, were shot at about 11:45 p.m. inside a home on Springfield Ave near 51st Street, according to reports. One man was shot in the back and the other in the leg. One of the victims was able to run outside and get help, NBC10 reports. Both men were listed in stable condition at HUP. The incident is still being investigated and unidentified local youths are sought in this shooting, according to a police source.

Thursday night was a busy night for police in West Philly, who responded to a report of a shooting near 50th and Osage and also apprehended a person in connection with a theft from a vehicle in the area. Here are the details.

A young man was shot twice in the leg at about 7:30 p.m. near 50th and Osage. The victim, a 23-year-old male, was walking on 50th Street heading toward Osage Avenue when he suddenly noticed he was being followed by three males, according to a police report. One of the males said to him “Yo, I got that weed”. When the victim turned around he noticed one of the males was armed with a black handgun. The victim then started to run when he heard multiple gunshots. As he was running he felt a pain in his right calf and noticed he was bleeding. He continued running until he noticed the police at 49th & Spruce Street. He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania by fire rescue.

The suspects, described as young black males, two wearing all black clothing and the third wearing a sky blue hoody, ran South on 50th Street toward a grayish colored four-door Pontiac or Oldsmobile that was parked along the 400 block of S. 50th Street. The vehicle then fled North on 50th Street from Osage Avenue, according to police. A similarly described vehicle was involved in a robbery on March 12 on the 4600 block of Hazel Avenue.

West Philly Local readers reported that they heard at least eight gunshots last night. Police recovered nine 9mm fired cartridge casings and two bullet fragments at the scene.

Also on Thursday, at around 10:30 p.m.,18th District undercover police officers caught a man breaking into an unlocked car at 49th and Larchwood, arrested him and recovered the stolen belongings, according to a tweet by Joe Murray of Southwest Police Detectives.

The car he got into was unlocked and started trying doors around 45/Osage. Remember to lock your car. Nice job by the cops.

— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) March 21, 2014

Despite the recent arrest of a teenager who tried rob an undercover cop earlier this week, police are reporting that another gunpoint robbery took place last night. This time a 23-year-old man was robbed at about 10 p.m. along the 4600 block of Hazel Avenue by a man with a silver handgun who police believe escaped in a grey sedan.

Police say the victim was walking down 46th Street and had just made the turn onto Hazel when he noticed a grey car parked and idling. As he continued along Hazel, he also noticed a man walking slowly in front of him. As he passed, the man pointed a small silver handgun at him, made him sit down on the front steps of a nearby home and demanded his wallet and cell phone, according to a police report.

As he was being robbed, the victim noticed the grey sedan slowly approaching. The robber told the man to run toward 47th Street. When the victim looked back the car and the man were both gone.

The victim was not injured.

The suspect is described as a black male, about 6-feet-two-inches tall with a thin build, about 20 years old wearing a grey hoodie and black sweat pants.

This is the latest in a string of robberies in the area round Baltimore Avenue from 46th to 49th Streets. Police arrested a teenager earlier this week who tried to rob an undercover police officer who they say confessed to other recent robberies.

Police are asking those with information to call 215-686-TIPS or text short code PPDTIP. You can also submit anonymously here.

Editor’s Note: We chose not to publish the name of the teenager involved in this case. We take into account the severity of the crime, whether they are charged as an adult and a suspect’s previous record when we make that decision.

Police arrested a 16-year-old early after he tried to rob an undercover police officer at gunpoint near 47th and Springfield on Monday night. The teen also confessed to a string of recent robberies in the neighborhood, according to police.

Police say four undercover officers were patrolling (two on foot and two in an unmarked car) on 47th Street when a male started following one of the officers at about midnight. Near 48th and Springfield, the young man came up behind the officer, “put a silver handgun to his head” and shouted “Give it up. Just give it to me. Give it to me,” according to a police report.

The officer handed over an iPhone and as the young man pulled the gun away from his head, the officer hit it with his elbow, knocking the gun to the ground.

According to the police report:

“The male … began to struggle with the officer by punching and kicking him. They fell to the ground where the male continued to kick and swing at the officer until the other officers came to his assistance and were finally able to get the male into custody.”

The officer was treated for cuts at Mercy Hospital and released.

Although the gun looked authentic, it was a replica that did not fire, according to the report.

The male, whose name we are not publishing, was charged with assaulting a police officer and robbery.

Police say that the male also confessed to three other robberies on Sunday and Monday in the neighborhood, including one at 45th and Spruce, with two other teens.

Police listed the teen arrested during the robbery of the police officer as living on the 1300 block of Ellsworth Street in South Philly. He had no previous record.

Editor’s note: A neighbor wrote us yesterday to describe a mugging at 48th and Florence on Sunday night. She agreed to let us print her account, minus her name. She has reported the incident to police.

I was told I should let you all know about this so that others could be on the lookout. Last night at [about 11:30 p.m.]. I was mugged at 48th and Baltimore right outside of Gold Standard walking down Florence Ave. [She] was a short (5’2″ or shorter) middle-aged African American woman wearing a dark knit cap and a blue or black heavy coat. She initially approached asking for fare to get to 69th and Market. When I wouldn’t go along with her story she got mad and threatened my life, claiming to have a weapon. I didn’t see one and she may not have had one, but I figured it wasn’t worth the risk and gave her my empty wallet. She tried to use my debit card at a CVS, I’m not sure which one. It got flagged by fraud prevention and I canceled all of my cards. Hopefully people will keep on the lookout for this person. She also had very bad teeth. If you need anything else, please let me know. Also, if you could please not print my name or identifying details, I would appreciate that.