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If you are walking around in a high crime area its probably not the best of ideas to be beboping around totally oblivious to your surroundings listening to an ipod.

Or ditch the headphones... oh wait, then how would everybody know you are hip and trendy?!?!

I am wondering if I would have an iPod thief prosecuted or not.  I don't like the idea of being the person who initiates a kid's criminal record.  I think the decision would turn on whether there was violence involved.  If the situation was  like the one described in the article, I would support prosecution.

The 14-year-old attacker was part of a gang of six to 10 young men who attacked Benjamin Kim as he listened to his iPod while jogging Thursday night in the northern section of the park, cops said.

Kim, 25, told investigators he had been running along the park's East Drive about 8:15 p.m. when he was approached by the group of teenagers near E. 108th St.

The teens stopped him in his tracks and began to taunt him, he said.

The harassment then turned violent as several members of the gang jumped him and started punching him in the face and chest, he told police.

One of the teens ripped the iPod's telltale white earphones from Kim's head and then the group fled, running through the park's heavily wooded northern edge to escape.

bratboy wrote:

Though crime in the town I live in is virtually non-existent, I'd like to find an alternative to the ear buds.  They annoy me.

For me they flat out hurt.

I also would prosecute. Hopefully it will be a wake up call to the responsible parties. If not, (sadly this is most likely to be what happens), it will be on record that this isn't a sweet innocent person.

Podesta wrote:

From the New York Post:

An iPod thief was nabbed shortly after he and a gang of young thugs pounced on a man jogging in Central Park and stole his popular music-playing device, police said.

. . .The trendy music players, which can cost several hundred dollars, have become a favorite target of muggers, particularly teenage thieves.

IPod thefts have skyrocketed in recent months and are believed to be a large reason behind a recent surge in subway crime - underground thefts were up nearly 20% through mid-March, according to police statistics.

IPodders also have been targeted above ground, typically at bus stops, police sources said.

"IPods are an easy target, whether you're on the train or, in this case, jogging through the park," said a police source.

"People should always be aware, but especially when they've got white headphones dangling from their ears."

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/ … 9134c.html

I consider myself relatively street smart, having lived in four cities, including a tough town, Philly.   But, I have stopped walking in the 'drugs and crime' blocks of Portland after dark, if I am alone.  I usually have my iPod with me while strolling or taking public transit, and that probably is a factor in the decision.   I upgraded to a 60 GB iPod Photo last Wednesday, so I would be even more chagrined than before if it was stolen.   Of course there are some interesting philosophical issues lurking in such a decision.  How much caution is too much?   Is one putting too much value on material objects?  How much self-help, for example, not flaunting an expensive item, should apply?

get yourself a concealed handgun license - your ipod might not look so appealing to them then

Here's an even better idea: keep an iPod shuffle in your pocket to hand over to the mugger.

Gr@sshopper wrote:

cuase a glock 17 fits oh so well in my tiny ass running shorts.

Oh my! Tiny ass running shorts ...

"People should always be aware, but especially when they've got white headphones dangling from their ears."

Uh OH, they said white head phones. Doesn't that offend you? Arent they incinuating racial crimes here? Don't  railroad my threads either.

Anyway. Flaunting a 400 or 500 dollar small music device in a poor neighborhood is stupid.

NokX wrote:

get yourself a concealed handgun license - your ipod might not look so appealing to them then

That's flawed logic. How is a concealed handgun supposed to deter anyone?

Bad suggestion.

Podesta wrote:

From the New York Post:

An iPod thief was nabbed shortly after he and a gang of young thugs pounced on a man jogging in Central Park and stole his popular music-playing device, police said.

. . .The trendy music players, which can cost several hundred dollars, have become a favorite target of muggers, particularly teenage thieves.

IPod thefts have skyrocketed in recent months and are believed to be a large reason behind a recent surge in subway crime - underground thefts were up nearly 20% through mid-March, according to police statistics.

IPodders also have been targeted above ground, typically at bus stops, police sources said.

"IPods are an easy target, whether you're on the train or, in this case, jogging through the park," said a police source.

"People should always be aware, but especially when they've got white headphones dangling from their ears."

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/ … 9134c.html

I consider myself relatively street smart, having lived in four cities, including a tough town, Philly.   But, I have stopped walking in the 'drugs and crime' blocks of Portland after dark, if I am alone.  I usually have my iPod with me while strolling or taking public transit, and that probably is a factor in the decision.   I upgraded to a 60 GB iPod Photo last Wednesday, so I would be even more chagrined than before if it was stolen.   Of course there are some interesting philosophical issues lurking in such a decision.  How much caution is too much?   Is one putting too much value on material objects?  How much self-help, for example, not flaunting an expensive item, should apply?

umm, as far as I can tell, the article's from the daily news, not the post...
as for "iPodders" being targeted, it's possible, so just bring a gun along for the ride, like nokx suggested.
if that idea confuses you, don't call it illogical, just ask for an explanation. here's one: if you have a gun, they might be a little more hesitant to attack, because a gun could hurt and/or kill them. (you'd make it not concealed if you feel threatened, no need to show off a gun otherwise)
another option would be learn to run faster than anyone else...

Heres some songs to put on your iPOD.
http://163.121.12.9/islam/STAGE_POOL.sHTM