Police Report: July 21-27

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.

July 27^th:

4700 block of 27^th Street: Stolen vehicle – 6:35am. The owner of a 2001 Oldsmobile told officers that sometime between 7pm on the 26^th and the time he called police someone stole his vehicle. At about 4:00pm officers were notified that the vehicle had been located and recovered in the 1700 block of Buchanan Street, NE. At the time of recovery the vehicle had front end damage and a damaged ignition. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was involved in a hit and run collision on Queens Chapel Road in Hyattsville at about 8:30pm on the 26^th. 

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 10am. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage.

3200 block of Otis Street: Fire – 2:05pm. Thanks to a tweet from a council person MRPD was notified of a working fire in a first floor apartment. Fire/rescue personnel were on scene when the officers arrived and had the fire under control. The fire chief told the officers that the fire likely started from an electrical problem in the apartment. There were no reports of injury to residents or firefighters.

4200 block of 30^th Street: Property damage – 5:30pm. Officers responded for the report of a possible attempted burglary. The officers interviewed the residents who said that they had been sitting at their kitchen table when they noticed someone walk by their front door. When they went to investigate they found that the door had been forced open and was damaged. Officers spoke to neighbors who were sitting outside and all reported that they did not see or hear anyone try to break into the victim’s residence. The officers came to the conclusion that the residents got locked out and forced entry and needed a report for their landlord.

July 26^th:

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Vehicle impound – 8:10am. Officers on patrol stopped to check on a 1996 Honda Accord with New York tags. Further investigation revealed that the tags on the vehicle belonged on a 1930 Ford and the vehicle itself was not registered in any state. The tags were seized for return to MVA and the vehicle was impounded.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Traffic – 12:30pm. Officers stopped a 2001 Ford Mustang for a traffic violation. During the stop the officers learned that the tags and the registration sticker on the vehicle belonged to another vehicle. The driver was issued several State citations and the vehicle was impounded.

4300 block of 28^th Place: Burglary – 6:15pm. The resident told officers that he left home at about 9:15pm this morning. When he returned this evening he discovered that the front door to his apartment had been kicked in. Nothing appeared to have been stolen from inside and the resident said that he suspects that his ex-boyfriend may have broken in looking for some of his belongings.

3700 block of 37^th Street: Criminal citation (x2) – 7:10pm. Officers issued both a man and a woman criminal citations for drinking in public.

3300 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Check fraud – 7:25pm. Employees at Party Time Liquors told officers that a woman came into the store and attempted to cash a fraudulent, altered check. When the employees refused to cash the check the woman fled the store. The woman left several forms of her identification behind when she fled. Officers used this information to obtain a criminal summons for her arrest from the Hyattsville District Court Commissioner.

July 25:

4600 block of Eastern Avenue: Theft – 10:20pm. The complainant told officers that earlier in the day he had a confrontation with his partner at the BP station on Eastern Avenue. During the confrontation someone stole his backpack which contained several hundred dollars worth of medication. The complainant did not know who may have stolen the backpack and a canvass of the area failed to identify evidence or witnesses.

July 24^th:

3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue (Thrifty Rental Car): Recovered stolen trailer – 2:55pm. Officers responded to check on a utility trailer that employees found abandoned on the business’s lot. Further investigation revealed that the trailer had been reported stolen from an address in Charles County back on May 10^th. Officers believe that the trailer probably just got lost in the Penske rental system.

3100 block of Varnum Street: Attempt stolen auto – 10:30pm. The owner of a 1992 Jeep Cherokee told officers that sometime prior to his call to police someone tried, unsuccessfully, to steal his vehicle. Officers observed that the ignition had been damaged consistent with an attempted theft. No evidence or witnesses were identified.

July 23^rd:

4500 block of 34^th Street: Traffic/vehicle impound – 8:55am. Officers stopped a 2004 BMW after receiving an alert from a mobile license plate reader that the vehicle’s tags were suspended. The suspension was verified and the vehicle was impounded and the tags seized for return to MVA. The driver was issued several traffic citations.

3800 block of 33^rd Street: Vandalism to auto – 4:25pm. The owner of a 2000 Ford Explorer told officers that sometime between 9pm on the 22^nd and the time she called police someone slashed both tires on the driver’s side of her vehicle.  The owner said that she did not see anyone around her vehicle but did say that she has been in a recent dispute with her upstairs neighbor.

4500 block of 34^th Street: Storehouse B&E - 10:15pm. The owner told officers that sometime between 8:30pm and the time he called police someone broke a window to his garage, gained entry and stole a Craftsman lawn mower. 

July 22^nd:

4500 block of 34^th Street: Traffic/vehicle impound – 12:15pm. An officer patrolling with an automatic license plate reader received an alert on a vehicle with stolen tags. Further investigation revealed that the tags were off of a vehicle that was reported stolen by the driver and subsequently recovered without the tags on it. The vehicle that the driver was currently operating was unregistered. The driver was issued several citations, the vehicle was impounded and the tags were removed from the vehicle for return to MVA.

3800 block of 31^st Street: MIR – 1:20pm. Officers were contacted in reference to a possible of assault of a vulnerable adult. Officers were informed that a physically challenged adult female showed up at her care center with a swollen eye. She told employees that she was assaulted by her mother several days prior. The incident is being investigated by adult protective services. A follow up investigation is underway by the police department as well.

3710 36^th Street: Theft from auto – 1:40pm. The owner of a 1999 Ford Windstar told officers that sometime between 6:30pm on the 19^th and the time she called police someone stole the registration expiration sticker off of her rear license plate.

3300 block of Chillum Road: Strong arm robbery – 7:25pm. The victim told officers that he had just cashed at the Western Union office on Queens Chapel Road. While the victim was there a man asked him for 50 cents. The victim told him he did not have 50 cents, however once had completed cashing his check he gave the man 50 cents. The victim walked home via Little Cesar’s Pizza, and once home he was again confronted by the man from Western Union. A brief conversation occurred between the two after which the victim went into the building. The man followed him, ripped open the victim’s cargo pants pocket and stole his money. The suspect then fled the building in an unknown direction. 

3400 block of Eastern Avenue: Attempt burglary – 10pm. The resident/victim told officers that a friend/witness saw a man (suspect) standing by the victim’s rear basement door. The witness asked the suspect what he was doing whereupon the suspect fled the area. The witness chased the suspect but eventually lost track of him. When the victim inspected his residence he discovered that the suspect had pried some boards off a basement window in an attempt to gain entry into the residence. The suspect was not successful and the victim was unable to determine if any property or valuables were missing. The suspect was described as a black male with dreadlock style hair; 18-25 years of age; 6’1” tall; 170 lbs; wearing dark clothing.

4200 block of 31^st Street: Emergency petition – 10:50pm. Officers responded for the report of a domestic dispute. When they arrived they discovered a man who was depressed, angry and suicidal and had become angry and violent with his family. Officers were able to calm him down and take him into custody. He was transported him to a local hospital where he was released to medical personnel for an emergency medical evaluation.

July 21^st:

3200 block of Varnum Street: Theft – 6pm. The resident/victim told officers that sometime between July 19^th at 7:30pm and when he returned this evening someone stole his Xbox along with several accessories and games.  He said that he shares the residence with a roommate who denied taking the property. No forced entry into the home could be identified.

3000 block of Queens Chapel Road: Missing person – 10:15pm. The wife of a 92-year old Alzheimer patient reported her husband missing. Within two hours the man returned home unharmed.

Citizens are reminded to PLEASE call and report suspicious activity. Even if you choose not to provide your name or other personal information, we still need your help as extra eyes and ears in the community.

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We WANT to be bothered! Call 301-985-6565/6566.