Police Report: December 7-13

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 13^th:

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 12:10pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for urinating in public.

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: MIR – 2:40pm. Officers responded for the report of unknown trouble. Upon their arrival they discovered that a male and a female were arguing. Another male stepped in to defend the female in the argument. This upset the other male so the two started to fight. The female then called police. All partied were found to be intoxicated and uncooperative. Officers exchanged information and advised all partied to pursue charges through the commissioner’s office if they chose to do so. 

3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Traffic – 7:10pm. Officers stopped a 2004 Ford truck for an equipment violation. Further investigation revealed that the driver did not have a valid license. He was issued several traffic citations and his truck was impounded.

December 12^th:

4500 block of Eastern Avenue (BP station): Theft from auto – 8:55am. The victim told officers that that she was pumping gas when she noticed a man in her vehicle stealing her purse. The victim said that she ran around her vehicle and tried to grab the purse from the suspect as he was entering a silver sedan. The victim stated that the man was able to shut the door and make good on his escape with her purse.

4300 block of Eastern Avenue: Burglary – 9:35am. The reporting person told officers that he was a maintenance employee for Kaywood Apartments and was doing some work in a vacant apartment on December 11^th.  He left his tools in the apartment when he left for the day. When he returned to work today he discovered that someone had broken into the apartment, but nothing was missing from inside.

December 11^th:

Nothing significant to report.

December 10^th:

3300 block of Buchanan Street: Emergency petition – 1:35am. The reporting person told officers that a man had contacted an ex-girlfriend and advised that he wanted to kill himself by taking a large quantity of pills. Officers spoke to the man and found him to be very hostile and upset. They determined that based on his actions and statements that he needed to go to a medical facility for an emergency evaluation. He was subsequently taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for further treatment and evaluation.

3200 block of Shepherd Street: Vandalism to auto – 11am. The owner of a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser told officers that sometime between 2pm on the 9^th and the time she called police someone broke out a side window on her vehicle.

3200 block of Queens Chapel Road: Theft from auto – 2:45pm. The reporting person told officers that he parked and secured his work truck at about 8:30 this morning. When he came back to the truck at about 1pm he discovered that someone had broken in through a passenger side door and stole several tools and personal items.

4200 block of 34^th Street: M/V collision – 8:10pm. The officers’ investigation revealed that a 2007 Nissan struck a parked 2006 Mini Cooper. The driver of the Nissan did not have a license and there was an MSP pick up order for the tags. The driver was issued several traffic citations and released. The vehicle was impounded and the tags seized for return to MVA. 

December 9^th:

4000 block of 30^th Street: Theft – 10:10am. The reporting person came into the police station and told officers that on December 6^th at about 7:30am he discovered that someone had stolen his Christmas wreath off his front porch.

3700 block of 36^th Street: Theft – 11:25am. The victim told officers that his house was in foreclosure and abandoned. When he went to check the property this morning he discovered that someone had broken into the house through a first floor window and stole the copper piping and some of the radiators. He also discovered gang graffiti spray painted on the interior walls and on an outside shed.

4300 block of Russell Avenue: 1^st degree assault – 8:35pm. Officers responded to the area for the report of the sound of shots. Officers searched the basement area of an apartment building and located several spent shell casings. Officers then received additional information that a victim of a gunshot wound was transported to a local hospital by a citizen. Officers responded to the hospital and learned that the victim had had been shot one time. Upon speaking to the victim he advised that he was in the laundry room when two black males with ski masks on approached him from behind and demanded he empty his pockets. He complied and ran from the laundry room. As he fled the two began firing at him striking him once. The victim fled to a local business where he was met by a friend who drove him to the hospital for treatment. His wound was not considered life threatening. Further investigation revealed that the victim’s apartment had been forcibly entered. The officers checked the apartment for possible suspects finding none. They did however locate suspected narcotics in plain view. With the assistance of Prince George’s County Police detectives a search warrant was obtained for the apartment. Officers recovered a considerable quantity of marijuana and US Currency, two illegal firearms and a bullet resistant vest. The investigation is ongoing. 

December 8^th:

3700 block of Rhode Island Avenue: DWI – 3:30am. Officers patrolling with an ALPR were alerted to a vehicle with a suspended registration. Officers stopped the vehicle and further investigation revealed that the driver’s license was suspended and he was under the influence of alcohol. He failed all standard field sobriety tests and refused a chemical test for alcohol. He was issued several traffic citations and released. His vehicle was impounded for safekeeping.

3200 block of Upshur Street: Attempt theft from auto – 8:50am. The owner of a 2001 Plymouth Neon told officers that she heard the car alarm going off at about 1am on December 7^th. She went out to her vehicle and discovered that the driver’s door lock had been damaged and the door was ajar. She said that nothing was missing from the vehicle and that the alarm scared off the suspect.

3000 block of Queens Chapel Road: Warrant service – 9:50am. Officers patrolling the area saw a man urinating in public. They stopped to issue him a citation for the violation and learned that he had an open arrest warrant through Prince George’s County for failing to appear in court on a charge of driving on a suspended license. He was arrested on the warrant and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

3700 block of 34^th Street: Theft – 2:40pm. A woman came into the police station to report a theft of her vehicle tags. She told officers that after a recent move to Georgia she mailed her tags to her son in Mount Rainier so he could turn them in to MVA. She showed the officers a receipt showing that the tags were mailed on November 25^th and allegedly arrived on the 27^th; however, she stated that the tags never arrived.

2200 block of Varnum Street (Family Dollar): Theft – 6:55pm. The store manager told officers that two black males and a black female came into the store. She said that one of the men placed some DiGiorno Pizzas inside of his bag and went to exit the store without making any attempt to pay for the merchandise. The store security guard attempted to block the subjects exit but they pushed past him and fled on foot into DC.

December 7^th:

3900 block of 33^rd Street: Stolen auto – 12:35am. The owner of a 2001 Chrysler told officers that he parked his vehicle at about 11pm and when he returned for it just after midnight he discovered that it had been stolen.

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 3:10am. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for urinating in public.

4200 block of 34^th Street: Vandalism to auto – 1:30pm. The owner of a 1998 Nissan told officers that he returned to his vehicle this afternoon and discovered that someone had broken out the rear passenger window on the driver’s side.

3200 block of Queens Chapel Road: Theft - 7:20pm. The victim told officers that she left work to get coffee at about 10:30 this morning leaving her purse behind. She returned to work and at about 3pm when she went to get money for lunch she discovered that her wallet and $120 was missing from the purse. No suspects were identified and the manager told officers that he would review the store’s video surveillance recording to see if any evidence was recorded.

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.