A reader reports that his friend’s motorcycle was stolen last night near 49th and Springfield. It is an 85 Honda Rebel 250 with a studded seat (see photo below). It is an olive-ish green color and has a dime size hole in the seat and has longer, not stock, rear shocks. A reward is offered if found.

Please email Chance at chanceafrica [at] hotmail.com with any info.

Some town watch groups in the area have stepped up their work in the past few weeks due to an increased number of crime-related incidents. Many residents have joined the groups and are already actively patrolling the streets.

We are compiling a list of town watch groups if neighbors want to participate. Here’s information on two active groups. If you know of any other groups, please send us information at: editor [at] westphillylocal.com

Cedar Park Neighbors Watch

Patrol area: St. Bernard to 47th St. (inclusive ), and Kingsessing to Baltimore (inclusive).

Contact: Patty Bulack, pbulack@gmail.com

Mel-Lo Town Watch

From the Mel-Lo Town Watch website: “The Mel-Lo Town Watch is a group of neighbors who put watchful eyes on the streets in the neighborhood surrounding the intersection of Melville and Locust Streets in West Philadelphia.”

Patrol area: 44th to 46th and from Walnut to Spruce.

Contact: mltownwatch@gmail.com

Two women were robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night within an hour in separate incidents on Chester and Springfield avenues near 47th Street. A police spokesperson said they are “absolutely sure” the robberies were committed by the same people.

The first incident took place at approximately 9 p.m. A 31-year-old female was standing on the corner of 48th Street and Chester Avenue waiting for a trolley when two males walked across the street and asked her when the trolley was expected to arrive. The woman said that she looked up the trolley schedule on her iPhone and said that it would be arriving in 3 minutes. One of the men pointed a black handgun at her head and said, “Give me your phone.” The woman then threw her phone across the street, ran to a friend’s house and called the police. No injuries were reported.

The incident is the latest in a string of robberies at trolley stops in the same area.

Also on Wednesday night, at approximately 10:00 p.m., a 32-year-old woman was walking on the 4700 block of Springfield Avenue when two males approached, pulled a handgun and demanded her pocketbook. The brown leather pocketbook contained numerous credit cards, $290 in cash, an iPod Nano and an iPhone charger. The males fled on foot toward 47th Street and Windsor Avenue. The woman’s pocketbook along with most of the contents was later discovered on the 4700 and 4800 block of Windsor Avenue. Her iPod Nano, $290, and iPhone charger were missing.

The suspects are described as two black males. The first one is heavy build, 5 feet, 9 inches and 18-20 years old. The second male had a thin build was also 18 to 20 years old and had a dark complexion.

Police have said they will step up patrols in the area beginning tonight.

Several pickpocketing incidents have been recently reported at Milk & Honey Market (4435 Baltimore Ave), prompting attention from the University City District patrols and police. At least four wallets appear to have been taken from briefly unattended coats and bags at Milk and Honey since late December.

In response to the incidents, Milk and Honey owner Annie Baum Stein wrote today:

“Please be aware that there is a pick pocket frequenting Milk & Honey. As far as we know four wallets have been stolen since the holidays. It seems in more then one instance the wallets were in coat pockets and the coats where on the back of chairs. We have contacted the police and the UCD.

We have security cameras and will be providing the police with the footage. We will do everything we can to return our store to being as safe as possible. In the mean time please look out for your personal belongings and please look out for each other.

Officers from the 18th district will now add a stop at Milk & Honey during their daily rotations and sign a log book held at our cash register. We have posted security camera signs and will post security signs provided by the UCD soon.

Please do pass it on to your friends and neighbors and any other neighborhood listserves.

Thank you to those who have already brought this to our attention and if anyone else thinks they were robbed at Milk & Honey please let us know right away.”

Southwest Philly’s tweeting detective, Joe Murray, whose updates on Twitter have helped people in the neighborhood keep up with crime trends and have helped make him a local celebrity, has suspended his account until he gets the go ahead from the department’s top brass.

Murray said by e-mail that some inadvisable uses of social media within the Philadelphia Police Department recently prompted him to send a memo to police Commissioner Charles Ramsey seeking formal permission to continue his @thefuzz9143 Twitter account.

The Philadelphia Police Department has increased its use of social media in recent months and it has helped in solving crimes.

Murray said on Twitter that he will let followers know when he gets the go ahead to start tweeting again.

Reader Vanessa has just emailed us with this information:

“Some time within the last 24 hours, a bike was stolen from 4413 Baltimore Ave. I’m writing in because the thief actually cut through a wrought-iron fence (!!) to take it. Pretty brazen, and kind of scary. It was in the back garden of the building, which is also brazen because the bike wasn’t at all visible from the street (or even from the front of the building).

It’s a brand new Specialized Vita with a black frame and adorable hot-pink handlebars. It was a really special Christmas present, so there’s some sentimental value… It has a Keswick Cycles sticker on the frame.

It was properly locked with two locks. If anyone sees this bike, or if anyone asks you for advice on cutting a Kryptonite New York chain lock, please let me know! I’m offering a $200 reward (and undying gratitude) for its return, no questions asked.

I’d also like to know if other people have had their bikes/parts stolen recently. The details of this theft make me think that whoever took it was a “professional.””

If you have any information about Vanessa’s bike (pictured below), please email her at: vhamer[at]gmail.com