"That's somebody out there who just doesn't care" about getting caught, Curran said.

But Curran had a more positive message for members of the Friends of Downtown who gathered Thursday morning at the Franklin Hotel: Violent crimes are generally down compared with last year, despite the nationwide publicity brought by Eve Carson's slaying.

"These are things that happen from time to time in a downtown area," Curran told the group. "People like to come here. It's a fun city. We're aware that not all the folks that come in here at night are the type of folks you want in your business."

Suspects in the Carson case are in jail, along with Keith Robert Webster, 23, accused of the July 20 alley robbery and others in Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

"Other jurisdictions are looking at him for a string of robberies, and I'm very happy that that person is in custody," Curran said.

The chief also announced an arrest in an armed robbery that occurred last week at a convenience store on Graham Street. Police charged Richard Calvin Edwards, 39, with robbery. Police say he held up the Graham Street Market with a handgun July 24 and escaped with $80 cash.

The chief said none of the recent crimes -- including a mass gang fight Saturday at the Triangle Town Center in Raleigh -- suggests a major increase in gang activity in Chapel Hill.

"We do have some homegrown guys that purport to be gang members," Curran said. "On certain nights, for whatever reason, we get a lot of guys who appear to us to be gang members showing up for the entertainment."

Some at Thursday's meeting complained about a lack of vigilance against gangs downtown. Katrina Ryan, who recently opened the Sugarland sweet shop in the old Schoolkids Records Annex, said an officer did not respond when she reported eight young men all wearing Chicago White Sox caps and similar white T-shirts on Franklin Street.

"Having lived in Chicago, there aren't eight White Sox fans in Chicago," Ryan said.

Curran said an officer should keep an eye on a group like that but pointed out that even if the men did comprise a gang, they would still have to commit a crime to be arrested. "[Belonging to a gang] by itself is not illegal," Curran said. Plus, he added, "a lot of what folks look at as gang dress is popular culture dress."

Kensington Drive resident George Spencer pressed Curran on whether police are doing all they can on the gang problem.

"How much more money, how many more men do you need to get on top of this problem?" Spencer said.

"It would be helpful at some point if I could have a gang unit of three or four officers where they would nothing but that," Curran said. "Gangs don't put out press releases saying they're forming and who their leadership is."

Spencer said he doesn't feel safe taking his four children to Franklin Street and called for more police funding and downtown patrols.

Bill Hester, who runs an art gallery at University Square, stood up to oppose Spencer.

"It is one of the safest places I've ever been in my life," Hester said. "If you don't like it, don't come."

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