Bailey called Gosnell and told her the officer or dispatcher should have called her back on her cell phone. Guglielmi said a police report is being written and will be sent to Gosnell for her insurance company. "It was a mistake, and we're very, very sorry," the spokesman said.
All big cities have crime and require taking certain precautions when visiting. City officials say there has been a rash of car break-ins in downtown garages, and they have for years warned people not to leave anything enticing in their parked vehicles, including pocket change and chargers for cell phones.
I would hope garage owners would step up security and warn their partners (the Aquarium refers patrons to this garage - where they get a $3 discount - and contracts for its staff members to park there) about any problems. The executive director of Baltimore's Parking Authority, Peter Little, confirmed for me a rash of car break-ins in recent weeks at downtown garages, both private and ones owned by the city.
Aquarium spokeswoman Jennifer Bloomer said she was unaware of crime issues but that officials would "talk about communicating these incidents a little better." She said that if Gosnell comes back with another den, as she is planning to do next month, "we encourage them to call us before and we can give them tips for parking. Our security team will be happy to escort the group in and out." Officials from Landmark - which owns 16 garages in Baltimore, 12 of them downtown - did not return my calls.
Gosnell said she and the kids had a great time at the aquarium. Each paid about $70 to stay overnight, which gets them guided behind-the-scenes tours and the place to themselves for the night. She said two parents expressed reservations before the trip about sending their children to Baltimore. "I said, 'Look at Harborplace. Look how they cleaned it up. It's so nice.' "
It's a shame that their experience was ruined and that the break-ins will only reinforce the perception that Baltimore is not a safe place to visit or live.
Baltimore police have a daunting task - this weekend alone an officer was shot twice in the head and critically wounded trying to make an undercover drug buy, another officer shot and killed a man who was stabbing a woman, a 14-year-old boy was killed in an argument over a girl, and a taxi driver was fatally shot in his cab.
But we also can't forget the small stuff.
Mistakes will be made, and I'm pleased the department has owned up to it and will make amends.
Gosnell said Bailey told her about the busy weekend and about his wounded officer: "I told him I was very sorry and would have understood if I had been told someone would not be coming to our garage, but that I should have been called in any case."
