I’m not sure if this sort of crime was unique to the Final Four in Detroit because of the rough economic conditions or because there was a large cash-carrying crowd on hand. Either way, government officials weren’t exempt from crime that struck in Final Four weekend. As Deadspin points out, Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard was the victim of a crime in Detroit:
Ballard was walking back to his hotel after Saturday night’s semi-final games at Ford Field when he stopped to assist a man who appeared to be suffering a seizure on a sidewalk. When the mayor stopped, two or three other men surrounded him and stole his cell phone from his pockets, the mayor’s office said.
That’s it? All they did was grab the cellphone? I’ve often wondered why such sharp fellows don’t put their talents to use for something legal. Surely guys this smart could have do a lot more than be professional pickpocketers. Bet Ballard can’t wait for the Final Four to come to his hometown next year. It’s unfortunate that the Final Four brings out the worst at the same time that it brings out the best.
