Police Report: October 13-19

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.

October 19^th:

3200 block of Chillum Road: Assist fire/rescue – 12:30am. Officers assisted fire/rescue personnel with the forced entry into an apartment. Fire/rescue responded for the report of the smell of natural gas. No gas leak was discovered

31^st and Shepherd Streets: Theft from auto – 5:25pm. A postal delivery person told officers that she parked her mail truck while she was out delivering mail. When she returned to the vehicle she discovered that someone had stolen her driver’s license, credit cards and a GPS unit from her purse. No witnesses/evidence was identified.

October 18^th:

3700 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Theft – 10:55am. The victims were attending mass at St. James church and left their bags unattended in a common area of the building. When they returned for their bags they discovered that some of their personnel belongings were missing including several laptops computers.

2500 block of Arundel Road: Criminal citation (x2) – 11:15pm. Officers issued each of two men a criminal citation for trespassing in a vacant apartment.

3700 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Theft from auto – 11:10am. The owner of a 2004 Nissan Xterra told officers that he went to the Mount Rainier post office at about 10am. When he returned home he discovered that someone had stolen the dealer tag off his vehicle. The victim said that he believes the tag was stolen when he was inside the post office.

4000 block of 36^th Street: Theft from auto – 7pm. The owner of a 2005 Nissan Sentra told officers that sometime between 7am and 1:20pm on October 16^th someone stole the front tag off her vehicle.

October 17^th:

3200 block of Chauncey Place: Citizen robbery – 12:45pm. Officers responded after a Queenstown Apartments employee reported that two men had been robbed. When the officers arrived they finally located the victims at the Radio Shack on Queens Chapel Road. The victims, who were less than cooperative with police, said that they came to the area to purchase an iPhone. When the victims met the seller they were assaulted from behind by two men who stole one of the victim’s shoes and both victims’ personal property. The three suspects then fled the area towards the park behind the Queenstown apartment complex. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects with negative results; however, during the search they did find a glass vile containing liquid PCP. The vile was recovered as possible evidence. PGPD robbery detectives responded to interview the victims but they declined police assistance. It’s interesting to note that both victims in this incident were arrested a couple of hours later, both for disorderly conduct, one for robbing a woman on Chauncey Place and the other for threatening a Queenstown apartments employee with a sledge hammer (PGPD case).

3200 block of Chillum Road: Criminal citation (x2) – 2pm. Officers issued each of two men a criminal citation for disorderly conduct.

3300 block of Chauncey Place: Attempt citizen robbery – 3:05pm. Officers responded for the report of a citizen robbery. When the officers arrived they met with the victim and learned that a man had just tried to rob her of her belongings. She gave the officers a good description of the man who the officers recognized as the victim of a robbery that occurred on Chauncey Place at 12:45pm. Officers searched the area for the suspect and were able to locate and apprehend him. The victim positively identified him as her assailant. He was arrested, charged accordingly and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

34^th Street and Rainier Avenue: Strong arm robbery – 9:45pm. The victim told officers that she was approached from behind by two suspects who grabbed her wrists while a third suspect sprayed her eyes with what she believes was pepper spray. The suspects made no verbal demands but snatched her purse and fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction. The victim could only say that she believed her assailants were black females. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects with negative results. The victim was taken to PGPD in Hyattsville where she was interviewed by robbery detectives handling the follow-up investigation.

October 16^th:

3800 block of 35^th Street: Criminal citation – 3:30pm. Officers stopped to conduct a field interview on three suspicious individuals. During the interview one of the three was found in possession of marijuana. He was arrested and taken to DOC in Hyattsville for processing. After processing he was issued a criminal citation and released.

3800 block of 35^TH Street: Criminal citation – 6:30pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public.

4200 block of 29^th Street: EPS – 9pm. Officers responded for the report of a man walking down 29^th Street taking off his clothes. When the officers arrived they stopped the man who was obviously under the influence of a CDS. He was taken into custody and transported to Washington Adventist Hospital for emergency medical treatment.

October 15^th:

2900 block of Arundel Road: Found property – 1am. Officers on patrol discovered an abandoned mountain bike lying in the roadway. The bike was recovered and placed into MRPD property storage for safekeeping.

One Municipal Place: Criminal citation – 9:10am. Officers on patrol observed a man at the bus stop urinating in public. He was issued a criminal citation for the violation and sent on his way.

3800 block of 31^st Street: Attempt burglary – 11:15am. Officers learned that when the homeowner came home he discovered that the window screens had been removed from the rear windows. The homeowner was able assist police in locating and identifying one of two individuals suspected of trying to break into his home. PGPD detectives arrived to assist with the investigation and process the scene for evidence. Those responsible did not gain entry into the home and nothing was reported stolen. The investigation is continuing.

2710 Upshur Street: Burglary – 11:40pm. Officers responded for the report of a home invasion burglary that had just occurred. When they arrived they learned that the resident/victim was awakened by the sounds of the front door being forced open. Three black males entered the apartment, one of whom implied that he had a weapon and kept the victim in her bedroom while the other suspects ransacked the residence. The victim was not injured and all three suspects fled the scene in an unknown direction. PGPD CID detectives and a forensics team responded to assume a follow-up investigation and process the scene for evidence. The victim’s door was repaired by building maintenance.

October 14^th:

2700 block of Queens Chapel Road: Vehicle impound – 10:15am. Officers on patrol observed a 1999 Ford Expedition displaying a photocopied dealer tag. A check through MILES/NCIC indicated the vehicle was not registered. The vehicle was issued a parking citation and impounded.

3200 block of Chillum Road: Traffic – 5:30pm. Officers stopped a 2006 Honda Accord for a traffic violation. Further investigation revealed that the driver did not have a license. She was issued several traffic citations and her vehicle was impounded.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Theft – 7:15pm. Employees at the Family Dollar Store told officers that two black males aged 45-60 wearing dark clothing came into the store. Once inside they stole three home sound systems and fled the area in an unknown direction. A search of the area for the two suspects proved negative.

October 13^th:

37^th and Shepherd Streets: Theft from auto – 8:15am. The owner of a 2011 Honda Accord told officers that sometime between 10:30pm on the 12^th and the time he called police someone smashed out the driver’s side window to gain entry into the vehicle. Once inside those responsible stole all four inside door panels, the rear seat, both front seats, the driver’s and passenger’s airbags and the vehicle’s stereo speakers. No evidence or witnesses were identified.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Criminal citation – 2:05pm. Officers were flagged down by an employee of the Advanced Auto Parts store who said that a man had just stolen an item from the store. Officers searched the area and found the man inside the 7-11 on Chillum Road. The stolen property was recovered and the employee positively identified the man as the thief. He was issued a criminal citation for misdemeanor theft and a loitering warning notice barring him from Luskin’s Plaza for a period of 30 days.

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.