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Two shot on Lenox Street, possibly by somebody who fled in a Zipcar
By adamg on Sun, 08/11/2013 - 11:51pm
Boston Police are investigating a double shooting on Lenox Street off Shawmut Avenue around 11:30 p.m.
Police found one victim on Lenox with a gunshot wound to the back. A second victim showed up shortly after at Boston Medical Center.
Police are looking for two vehicles: A gray compact with a Zipcar logo on the side, last seen turning onto Tremont Street inbound (which officers may have stopped on Mass. Ave.) and a BMW, Mass. plates CL3 666, whose driver dropped off the second victim at the hospital, then drove away. Officers were warned to treat the occupants of that car as armed and dangerous.
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Comments
Locked Out
I was actually locked out of my apartment as this happened a few blocks ago, so I heard the shots loud and clear. The cops questioned me and the locksmith as to what we were doing and if we had anything to do with it. We obviously pointed them in the direction of the shots. Not a good night to look like you're breaking into an apartment.
this shouldn't be too hard
I know Zipcars have a cell phone or some communications device built in so the swipe works. So even if the car was stolen, the folks at Zipcar should be able to locate the car regardless via GPS or cell tower angling.
Zipcar will also know
Who reserved the car and what member card was used to unlock it. They may even have more data on it.
Zipcars are not a good choice as a getaway vehicle. But, when did the fact that it's a stupid idea ever stop shooters like these?
stolen
It could have been stolen and hot wired (even though Zipcar says the car will not start without a swipe)
Even still, it still has a cell phone inside as a location device.
Cell phone?
Zipcars have RFID readers to read the members' cards - I'm pretty sure there aren't any cell phones hardwired into in the cars.
They need a data uplink to
They need a data uplink to tell who should have access to the car at any given time. The RFID card only identifies you; if there were no data connection, they wouldn't be able to tell which card should be allowed to unlock which car at which time.
Card vs. card reader
Right - the card identifies the driver, the reader that's mounted inside the car has the data uplink. I'm just saying I don't think the reader is a cellphone.
In case of emergency the folks at Zipcar can unlock the cars remotely - there was one in our neighborhood a few years back in which the glue that holds the card reader in place failed while we were about 50 miles from home. The reader fell off the windshield and was dangling inside, at an angle at which it couldn't read our card. We had to phone Zipcar and get them to unlock the car for us.
Uplink by cell phone
You're missing the crucial gap which is if the "reader...has the data uplink" what is that uplink made from? It isn't WiFi. It's present everywhere. It transmits data. It's likely some form of a cellphone antenna to communicate between the hardware mounted inside of the car that controls the locks, etc. and the cell phone network/carrier to speak to Zipcar's servers through 3G to the internet.
This is similar (identical?) to OnStar as an example. OnStar uses Verizon (primarily) to communicate between your car's OnStar system and their home office/operators/servers.
If OnStar could also read RFID (just need an extra RFID antenna and some software to do it), you'd have all the hardware to make a Zipcar, basically.
Dawn breaks on Marblehead
Got it - thanks for the clarification. I was having trouble getting my head around "there's a cellphone in the Zipcar" but this makes sense.
That is in fact the system.
That is in fact the system. Although I think they may be leveraging older CDMA cells, because the volume of data, even with many thousands of cars, simply isn't very high.
I once accidentally took a
I once accidentally took a Zipcar that wasn't mine because it opened when I held my card to it. It wasn't until I tried to extend my reservation that I realized I'd taken the wrong car.
Lenox Street is a conveniently located family development
"Lenox Street is a conveniently located family development"
--Boston Housing Authority
Yes, it is very conveniently located, for all kinds of 'family' activity.
Do a search on "Lenox Street projects" and you should get hits that tell the real story about the "conveniently located family development". And no, I'm not a "rich white guy" living in Wellesley or Weston. Far from it.
So you're a poor black woman?
So you're a poor black woman? Thanks for the info ma'am.
And since you get all your information from the internet...
There aren't a whole lot of news outlets posting about the 99.9999% of activity going on there that's kids doing homework, people cleaning their bathrooms, families making dinner, people washing the car. Because that would be really boring news. Everyone I've ever known that lives there just, yanno, lives their lives, like people do.
99.9999%, eh?
Assuming 99.9999% of Boston's folks are law-abiding citizens, that leaves us with a whopping 0.64 criminal for the entire Boston's population, given a population of 640,000. Sounds like we have some uber-badass fella with one leg (or no arms, depending on what had to be lopped off to make him 64% complete) responsible for all of Boston's crime. He shouldn't be too hard to find, catch him and we'll be 100% crime-free!
Hopalong
He's badass and half-assed at the same time.
eeka
let me correct you you; I do not get all my information from the internet. I actually grew up from the age of 11-18 very close to the location we're talking about.
How long ago?
And how old are you now?
Zip Gun...
...from a Zip Car. Ironic.
BMW driver was considerate
Blood stains must be such a nuisance to get out of carpeting and seat covers.
Ban Zipcars!
Since Menino's scooter ban has worked so well. Operation Kickstand. One City!
Zipcars
I thought Zipcars were only for Hipsters who think no one should own cars.