Police Report: September 15-21

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.

September 21^st:

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Traffic/EPS – 12:30am. Officers stopped a 1996 Ford Explorer for driving without headlights illuminated. Further investigation revealed that the driver had a suspended license and the tags on his vehicle belonged on another vehicle. He was also suspected of being under the influence of PCP. He was arrested, issued several traffic citations and delivered to a local hospital for an emergency medical examination related to the PCP. His vehicle was impounded for safekeeping.

4300 block of 28^th Place: Theft – 7:05pm. The victim told officers that she had a business selling perfume. In the course of her business she made arrangements to sell perfume to a man she met at Arundel Mills Mall. The man met her at her apartment and before any sale could be completed the man asked to use the victim’s new iPhone. She lent him the phone and he took the phone and left the apartment. He was last seen in a black Ford Crown Victoria or Mercury Grand Marquis in which he fled the area in an unknown direction.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Assist fire/rescue – 7:50pm. Officers assisted fire/rescue personnel with a forced entry into an apartment. F/R responded for the smell of smoke and when no one answered the door they forced entry. The cause of the smoke was food left cooking on the stove. The apartment was cleared of the smoke and maintenance was contacted to secure the apartment door.

September 20^th:

4700 block of 30^th Street: Vehicle impound – 7:30am. Officers impounded a 1997 VW Jetta that was unregistered and displaying DC tags that belonged to another vehicle.

4200 block of 30^th Street: Stolen vehicle – 5:30pm. The owner of a 2003 Dodge Dakota told officers that sometime between 1:45pm this afternoon and the time he called police someone stole his truck. MRPD officers took the report and entered the vehicle into the NCIC stolen vehicle database.

3800 block of 33^rd Street: Theft from auto – 8:45pm. Officers responded to check on a 2012 Ford Focus that was reported to be parked on the street with no tags. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle’s tags had been stolen. The owner was interviewed and said that the tags were stolen sometime between 6:30pm and 8:45pm this evening.

3300 block of Chillum Road (7-11): Theft – 11:25pm. The store clerk told officers that a man came into the store, picked up a 12-pack of Coke Classic and left the store without paying for it. The clerk described the suspect as a black male, about 5’8” tall and 150 lbs., wearing black shorts and a black shirt.

September 19^th:

4000 block of 36^th Street: Theft from auto – 4:20pm. The owner of a 2013 Nissan versa told officers that sometime between 8pm on the 18^th and the time he contacted police someone stole the tags off his vehicle.

2300 block of Varnum Street: M/V collision – 8:50pm. Officers responded for the report of a motor vehicle collision with injuries. When they arrived they discovered that a 2013 Chevy Cruz had been involved in a single vehicle collision and the driver was complaining of chest and back injuries. Fire/rescue personnel responded to treat the driver who ultimately refused to be transported to a hospital. The driver had an odor of alcohol about his person and was charged with DUI and issued additional citations related to the collision. His vehicle had minor damage and was drivable, but since he was in no condition to drive the vehicle was impounded.

3700 block of 35^th Street: Shots fired – 10:05pm. Officers responded for the report of several shots fired. When they arrived they interviewed residents who said that while they were in their home watching TV they heard several shots fired with one or more having struck their house. Witnesses reported seeing two men in the area one of whom was lying down in a prone position and may have been the one who fired the shots at the house. After the shooting stopped this suspect was joined by a second man and both fled the scene in an unknown direction. No one inside the house was injured. PGPD detectives responded to assume a follow-up investigation and assist with searching the area for evidence. One bullet fragment was located that struck the front of the house just below a front window, and a second was located inside lodged in the living room wall. A search of the area for the two suspects proved negative.

3100 block of Perry Street: Animal complaint – 11:40pm. A resident told officers that her dog was attacked by another dog. The owner took her dog to a veterinarian who treated it for a puncture wound to its neck. Officers are conducting a follow-up investigation to identify the owner of the attacking dog.

September 18^th:

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 10:05am. Officers on bicycle patrol issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public.

4200 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Warrant service – 5:15pm. Officers stopped a 2011 Dodge Avenger for a traffic violation. Further investigation revealed that the driver had two open arrest warrants through Prince George’s County for driving on a suspended license and driving without insurance. She was issued two traffic citations, arrested on the warrant, and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. Her vehicle was impounded.

September 17^th:

3200 block of Queens Chapel Road: Warrant service – 12:20am. Officers stopped a 1993 Volvo for a traffic violation and discovered that the driver had a suspended driver’s license and an open arrest warrant through Prince George’s County for failing to appear in court. He was arrested and transported to DOC in Hyattsville for processing. However, the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office could not locate the arrest warrant. Since the actual hard copy warrant is required for processing, the defendant was released from custody pending further action by the Sheriff’s Office.

4500 block of 34^th Street: Traffic – 4:10pm. Officers stopped a 1998 Acura for a traffic violation. Further investigation revealed that the driver did not have a license. He was issued the appropriate traffic citations and his vehicle was impounded for safekeeping.

2400 block of Arundel Road: Warrant service – 10:45pm. Officers responded to assist an off duty police officer who was acting as an agent of the property and encountered a man loitering in the basement of an apartment building. Further investigation revealed that the man had an open arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on a charge of theft under $100. He was arrested on the warrant and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

September 16^th:

3600 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 1:35pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public.

September 15^th:

3249 Rhode Island Avenue (rear parking lot): Vandalism to auto (x4) – 7:55am. MRPD officers preparing for patrol discovered four police vehicles that had been vandalized overnight. Someone had slashed the left front tire on three marked police vehicles and one parking enforcement vehicle.

3300 block of Chillum Road (7-11): Warrant service – 8:10am. Officers responded for the report of a theft. A store clerk gave the officers a description of a man who had fixed himself a cup of coffee and left the store without paying for it. Officers canvassed the area and located the suspect. He was returned to the store and positively identified as the one who stole the coffee; however, the store manager declined to press charges against him and only wanted him banned from the store. Further investigation revealed that the man had four (4) open warrants through the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office for theft over $1000, participation in a theft scheme, child abandonment and shoplifting. He was arrested on the warrants and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

31^st Street and Arundel Road: Criminal citation – 4:10pm. Officers on bicycle patrol issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Emergency petition – 8:05pm. Officers responded for a 911 disconnect and upon arrival observed a man being violent inside the apartment. The man had already wrecked his bedroom and began to turn his violence towards his mother. Officers were forced to deploy a Taser weapon to get the man under control and under arrest. He was transported to Washington Adventist Hospital and released to medical personnel for an emergency psychological evaluation.

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.

See or Hear Something?

Say Something!

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