Retired MRPD Chief's Discussion

The Mount Rainier Police Department’s weekly report is not intended to be a listing of every incident or call for service handled by the police department, but merely a general summary of incidents that may be of interest to the community. Some reports may be outside the date parameters due to extended investigations or other circumstances. Some cases are not included at all due to ongoing investigations. December 20 th : 4300 block of Russell Avenue : Theft from auto - 11am. The owner of a 2005 Ford Explorer reported that sometime between December 18 th and the 20 th someone stole the handicapped placards from inside his vehicle. Officers could find no sign of forced entry into the vehicle. 2700 block of Arundel Road : Forced entry – 11:35am. Officers responded for the report of a medical alarm coming from inside an apartment. When the officers arrived they received no answer at the door and called for fire/rescue and apartment management to respond and assist with a forced entry.

Before you leave: • Place interior/outdoor lights, televisions and radios on timers. Make sure your lights are timed for appropriate hours. • Unplug your garage door opener and lock the rails from the inside. • Inspect your home prior to departure and make sure all windows and doors are locked and secure. This should also include storage areas. • Make sure you secure outdoor items such as bicycles, toys, outdoor grill, etc. • Unplug all appliances to include TV, stereos, computers, toasters, and microwave ovens to prevent damage in case of an electrical storm or power outage. • Make sure the last person out of the house locks the door. Then make a check of the outside to make sure everything is secure. When you return: • If you arrive early please notify the MRPD to cancel your house check. If you anticipate a longer trip or delay, call to extend your house check. • Resume your mail, subscription and deliveries. • Inspect your home both interior and exterior. Report

If you will be traveling this holiday season, don't use social media sites to announce to the world that you will be away from home. Don't post about your trip until after you return.

December 15 th : 3300 block of Buchanan Street : Motor vehicle collision – 12:45am. Officers responded for the report of a vehicle blocking the roadway. When the officers arrived they found the vehicle in question occupied by a man who was asleep in the driver’s seat. Further investigation revealed that the man had backed into a parked vehicle. Officers also found an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the vehicle. The driver was cited for open container and blocking the flow of traffic. His vehicle was impounded. 4100 block of Russell Avenue : Motor vehicle collision/emergency petition – 4:35am. Officers responded for the report of a man down. Upon arrival the officers learned that an individual was involved in a minor motor vehicle collision and was not injured. Further investigation revealed that the man failed to pay full time and attention and struck a parked vehicle causing minor damage. He was issued a traffic citation and his vehicle was impounded. During the officers’

Police are asking residents to review their holiday purchases and shipments to determine if any packages are missing. If you have shipped a gift to a family member, confirm with the recipient that it has arrived. If the delivery company reports that the package was delivered, but you believe it may have been stolen, take the following steps: • Check the back or side door to see if the delivery was left at another location. Check with neighbors to see if the package was delivered to the wrong address. • Call the delivery company to confirm it was delivered. • Report the incident to police by calling 301-985-6565/6566. To prevent thefts, police encourage residents to follow these tips: • Track shipments, and try to be home when they are scheduled to arrive. • If you won’t be home, have the shipment delivered to your work, if possible, or ask the delivery company to leave the package in a discreet location, such as a back door. • Ask a neighbor to take the package inside until y

by Maggie Gazeli Fard , The Washington Post A “Gift Cards for Guns” collection event will be held in Prince George’s County on Saturday. County police will collect firearms in exchange for gift cards valued up to $100. The event is part of an effort to reduce gun violence in the county, officials said. The collection will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 601 8th Street, Laurel. Participants must place any guns, unloaded, in the trunk of their cars. A uniformed police officer at the site will provide further instructions. The guns do not have to be functional. Ammunition will also be collected, police said. This is the third “Gift Cards for Guns” event of the year. About 300 guns have been turned in so far, police said.

Twenty five percent of all drunk driving deaths occur in the month of December. Over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays there is a 40-60% spike in alcohol-related traffic fatalities. Don’t drink and drive this holiday season! Remember YOU choose your ride. Either a free ride in a police cruiser under arrest or free ride home in a cab. From December 14th to January 1st you can call 1-800-Sober Ride for a free taxi ride home.

The Mount Rainier Police Department’s weekly report is not intended to be a listing of every incident or call for service handled by the police department, but merely a general summary of incidents that may be of interest to the community. Some reports may be outside the date parameters due to extended investigations or other circumstances. Some cases are not included at all due to ongoing investigations. December 8 th : 3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue : Vehicle impound – 4am. Officers on patrol came upon a 2006 Nissan Maxima stopped in the traffic circle. Further investigation revealed that the driver and passenger were asleep in the front seats. Both individuals were awakened and officers determined that neither party could safely operate the vehicle. The vehicle was impounded and the occupants sent on their way. 3400 block of Perry Street : Stolen vehicle – 9:10am. The owner of a 2008 Ford truck told officers that she left the vehicle running while she was opening the front door

You may have heard about the tragic death of Kasandra Perkins, shot several times by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, Jovan Belcher. Kasandra was killed after an argument related to her attending a concert. Her 3-month old daughter was in the home when her mother was murdered. Many women – just like Kasandra Perkins – fear for their lives and the Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County is here to help them. Our organization provides safe shelter and therapeutic services so abused women can escape the violence in their lives and move toward economic self-sufficiency. We also facilitate groups for men who abuse, holding them accountable for the violence they inflict on their partners, and teaching them alternative strategies to deal with their anger and need for control. This year alone we have provided safe shelter to hundreds of women and children at our Safe Passage Emergency Shelter, our staff has responded to thousands of hotline calls, and numerous abusers hav

The Mount Rainier Police Department’s weekly report is not intended to be a listing of every incident or call for service handled by the police department, but merely a general summary of incidents that may be of interest to the community. Some reports may be outside the date parameters due to extended investigations or other circumstances. Some cases are not included at all due to ongoing investigations. December 1 st : 4700 block of 25 th Street : Recovered stolen auto – 4:20am. MRPD officers were notified my DC police that they recovered a 2002 Cadillac Deville that was stolen from the 4700 block of 25 th Street on November 24 th . No arrests were made and the owner was notified of the recovery. 2500 block of Allison Street : Residential burglary (vacant apartment) – 9:55am. Officers were called to the scene by management officials who were conducting a final inspection of a vacant apartment prior to new tenants moving in. Management discovered that two men had broken into the a

Upper Marlboro, MD … The Prince George's County Sheriff’s Warrant/Fugitive Division reported the arrests today of Francis Holmes and James Gross on related arrest warrants obtained by Prince George's County Police Detectives on November 23, 2012 for an Armed Carjacking that occurred on Thanksgiving. According to the warrants, Holmes and Gross approached a male victim after he parked his vehicle in the 3200 block of Taylor Street in Mount Rainier. As the victim exited his vehicle, one of the suspects pointed a silver handgun at him and demanded his wallet, cell phone, and the keys to his vehicle. The victim complied with the demands, and was able to remove his daughter from the vehicle before the suspects took the car and fled the scene. The victim and a witness later identified the suspects during the police investigation. Deputies investigating the whereabouts of Holmes and Gross were led to the 2900 block of Bunker Hill Road where both suspects were located and apprehend

November 24 th : 4700 block of 25 th Street : Stolen auto – 7:50pm. Officers met with the owner of a 2002 Cadillac Deville. The owner told the officers that he met with two individuals who had agreed to buy his vehicle. After one of the individuals test drove the vehicle he gave the owner a quantity of cash as payment for the vehicle. Before the owner realized that the cash he received did not match his sale price, and was possibly counterfeit, the two suspects fled in his vehicle and disappeared into DC. Officers were unable to locate the vehicle or the suspects and a lookout was broadcast to MPD. Officers contacted the US Secret Service in regards to the counterfeit bills and they will conduct a follow-up investigation. 4600 block of 27 th Street : Warrant service – 11:45pm. Officers responded to Providence Hospital for the report of a domestic assault that occurred earlier. The victim told officers that she had been assaulted by her husband at their residence in Mount Rainier. O

The Prince George’s County Police Department arrested a suspect for the November 14, 2012, murder of 25 year-old Reginald McNeil. McNeil, of the 8400 block of Indian Head Highway in Fort Washington, was shot and killed in the 3800 block of 37th Street in Mount Rainier. On November 15, 2012, police officers arrested 27 year-old Ronald Jefferson Short of the 2500 block of High Street in Southeast Washington. Short is charged with first degree murder and is being held on a no bond status. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (301) 772-4925. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), text “PGPD” plus your message to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone, or go to http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/police to submit a tip online. http://pgpolice.blogspot.com/2012/11/pgpd-arrests-suspect-in-mount-rainier.html

November 17 th : 3200 block of Queenstown Drive : Vandalism to auto – 2:05pm. The owner of a 2001 Nissan Altima told officers that sometime between 11pm on November 14 th and 9am on the 15 th someone vandalized his vehicle’s rear bumper near the license plate bracket. The owner said that it appeared as if someone burned a hole in the bumper. 40 00 block of 33 rd Street : Emergency petition – 3:45pm. Officers were called to investigate a man who had been yelling and screaming in the back yard for about 45 minutes. When the officers arrived they found the man obviously under the influence of PCP.  He was taken into custody and transported to Washington Adventist Hospital where he was released to medical personnel for emergency treatment. 3100 block of Queens Chapel Road : Recovered stolen auto – 5:30pm. MRPD officers were notified by MPD that their officers recovered a 2002 Dodge Caravan in the 7600 block of 13 th Street, NW that was originally reported stolen from t

The Mount Rainier Police Department along with the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit is investigating the murder of an adult male that occurred in the City of Mount Rainier this morning. At about 4:40am Mount Rainier officers responded to the 3800 block of 37th Street for the report of a sound of shots. When the officers arrived about a minute later they discovered a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Prince George’s County EMS responded and transported the victim to Prince George’s Hospital Center where he was pronounced dead. Detectives are working to identify the victim, any suspect(s) and a motive in this case. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division/Homicide Unit at 301-772-4925 or the Mount Rainier Police Department at 301-985-6580. Callers can remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). You may also text “PGPD plus your t

November 10 th : 4200 block of Kaywood Drive : Vandalism to auto – 1:10am. The owner of a 2005 Dodge Stratus told officers that sometime between 10:40am on November 9 th and the time she called police someone damaged the driver’s side door lock on her vehicle. 4000 block of 36 th Street : Attempt residential burglary – 11:30am. Officers responded for the report of an attempted B&E. When the arrived they discovered where someone used a hammer to break two windows and remove two screens in an attempt to enter the residence. The property manager found a hammer that had been thrown in the grass in the back yard and the officers seized it for evidence. No entry was made into the residence and nothing was stolen. 3100 block of Queens Chapel Road : Theft – 12:30pm. The victim told officers that she was walking with her daughter in the area of Luskins Plaza when a man walked up behind them and snatched an Apple iPhone out of her child’s hand and fled the scene. The victim told the off

Gazette article by Timothy Sandoval: http://www.gazette.net/article/20121108/NEWS/711089906/0/gazette&template=gazette

The two arrests made by MRPD officers on election day have so far resulted in the closure of five burglary cases. Three in Mount Rainier and two in Brentwood.

At about 1pm this afternoon MRPD officers received a call for suspicious persons in the 3100 block of Webster Street. While searching the area officers discovered the suspects on the front porch of of a house in the 4100 block of Rainier Avenue. Officers stopped the two and upon further investigation determined that the two were in the process of breaking into the home when the officers arrived. The two were found in possession of items that had been stolen in a Brentwood burglary earlier in the day and in possession of a loaded Ruger 45 caliber handgun taken in a Brentwood burglary back in October. The two were arrested and will be preliminarily charged with burglary and possession of the stolen handgun. Custody of the two was transferred to PGPD District I detectives for interrogation and additional charges. The two are being looked at as suspects in the rash of burglaries we have experienced over the past month.

November 3 rd : 3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue : Criminal citation – 10:30am. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking an alcoholic beverage in a public place. November 2 nd : 3700 block of 36 th Street : Returned missing person – 7:30am. Officers responded for the report of a missing juvenile. Once on the scene the officers identified the juvenile as having been reported missing through the Alexandria, VA police department. The juvenile was in good physical condition and he was returned to the custody of his parents. Alexandria PD was advised of his recovery and removed his information from NCIC missing persons files. 3300 block of Buchanan Street (M-NCPPC bike trail) : Citizen robbery – 12:15pm. Officers responded for the report of a robbery where four pedestrians were robbed by three black males on the bike trail behind Queenstown Apartments. Park Police responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation. MRPD officers assisted with a search of the area