(Updated with news story from ABC7/WJLA.com) As another crime text alert came through to my phone last Saturday evening, I thought it would be a good time to remind our dear readers to be careful out there. Many of the recent incidents in our neighborhood (and, really, all around town) have been happening in the early evenings (8pm-midnight, according to MPD), have included several suspects, and have involved the theft of cell phones and iPhones.
As reported by ABC7/WJLA
So please remember, as great as our neighborhood is, crime is still around us. Be aware of your surroundings, stay on well-lit streets, and take the headphones out of your ears…they are a like a neon sign to people that you have an iPhone or iPod in your pocket. Texts and Facebook updates really can wait until you get to your destination.
Commander Daniel Hickson posted the following stats and tips to the MPD 1D listserv:
As many of you are aware we have experienced a rash of street robberies recently in the Capital Hill area of the First District. We experience increases of crime in various areas at times; however, our concern is heightened due to the exaggeration of this anomaly. I wanted to share some information concerning these offenses for your personal awareness.
- Most frequent days of occurrence have been Fridays and Saturdays, with Friday accounting for 43% of the offenses
- The peak time of the offenses is from 8:00 p.m. to midnight ( 70% )
- Almost 90% of the robberies involve 2-3 suspects
- Half of the robberies involved the theft of cell phones/I-phones
Lt. Eddie Fowler, PSA 106, has implemented an operational plan to address the issue. Although we can not share specifics of his plan, I understand the community’s concerns and desire for information and want to advise that the below strategies have been implemented.
- PSA personnel has been redeployed to the target areas
- 1D district-wide units have been deployed to the target areas
- Several city-wide units have agreed to schedule some of their deployment in the area
- CSOSA (DC’s version of Probation & Parole) has partnered with us to schedule “accountability visits” to persons under their supervision who reside in the area.
- The First District Detective Unit has consolidated the assignment of these robberies to assist with identifying related offenses
- A 1D tactical unit has been assigned to work within the area and coordinate information with investigators
I would like to assure you that the First District is doing everything we can to address these issues; we have dedicated officers and managers who are focused on the situation. While we work to address the crime pattern we ask for the community assistance by adhering to the robbery prevention tips that were posted in the listserv and by calling 911 whenever you see suspicious activity and/or suspicious persons.