Police Report: March 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.

March 21^th:

2200 block of Varnum Street: Theft – 11:05am. The owner of a blue men’s mountain bike reported that he left his bike outside the Family Dollar while he ran inside. When he returned minutes later his bike was gone. Surveillance cameras revealed that at 10:47am an unknown male jumped on the bike and fled towards Russell Avenue.

2300 block of Varnum Street (7-11): Theft – 4:35pm. The store clerk told officers that a female entered the store took a quart of oil and brought it to the sales counter and asked for a refund. When the clerk denied the refund she began yelling, cursing and making a scene. While she was causing the distraction two black males stole several candy items. All three suspects fled the store on foot in an unknown direction.

2900 block of Arundel Road: Theft from auto – 5pm. The owner of a 2012 Toyota Rav 4 reported that someone stole the temporary license tag off his vehicle.

2200 block of Varnum Street: Traffic – 11pm. Officers stopped to investigate a vehicle in the church parking lot that’s driver was passed out. The officers learned that the driver did not have a license. He was charged accordingly and the vehicle was impounded.

March 20^th:

3400 block of Perry Street: Theft from auto – 10:30am. The victim reported that someone smashed out the front passenger side window of her parked vehicle and stole her purse.

3200 block of Perry Street: Vandalism to auto – 11:35am. The victim reported that someone smashed out the front passenger side window of her parked vehicle. Nothing was taken from the vehicle.

2700 block of Webster Street: Theft from auto – 12:30pm. The complainant told officers that on March 2^nd he discovered that someone had broken into his 1999 Toyota Camry and stole several items of his employer’s property. His employer told him to report the incident to police.

3800 block of 31^st Street: Attempted burglary – 1pm. The resident told officers that he heard two males talking in his backyard. He then heard them walk around to his front door. As he approached his front door one of the subjects turned the door handle and started to open the door. As the door opened the victim grabbed the door handle, yanked the door open and yelled to the men. The two were so startled that they fell down the snow covered porch. Once they got to their feet they fled on foot across Eastern Avenue into the DC.

March 19^th:

4300 block of 28^th Place: Domestic – 8:30am. The victim told officers that she and her liv-in boyfriend got into an argument that turned physical. The victim had a small cut on her lower lip from the altercation. She responded to the domestic violence lethality assessment but did not want to speak with a counselor. She was advised of her options of obtaining a protection order and obtaining assault charges at the District Court Commissioner's office.

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 9:20am. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public.

3600 block of Rhode Island Avenue: EPS – 10:30am. Officers responded to assist fire/rescue personnel with an unconscious female. The woman was breathing but unresponsive. A bottle of sleeping pills was found near the woman along with a note suggesting a suicide attempt. She was transported to Prince George’s Hospital for emergency treatment.

March 18^th:

3200 block of Chillum Road: Warrant service – 9:25am. Officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and learned that the driver had two open warrants through Prince George’s County for selling untaxed cigarettes; and his Virginia driver’s license was suspended. He was arrested on the warrants, issued several traffic citations and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

3500 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Vandalism – 12pm. Officers documented graffiti on a retaining wall and PW was notified to remove it. The graffiti did not appear to be gang related.

4600 block of 25^th Street: Theft – 12:40pm. The resident reported that several items of his personal property were missing from a dresser drawer. There was no sign of forced entry indicating the residence was burglarized.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Criminal citation – 4:55pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for trespassing.

3300 block of Buchanan Street: 2^nd degree assault – 7:05pm. The victim told officers that he was confronted in the hallway by his neighbors from an adjacent apartment. During the confrontation one of them pushed him down in the stair well and proceeded to kick him while he was down on the floor. The suspect fled the building in an unknown direction. The victim said that he physically fine and did not need medical attention; and described his assailant as a white male, about 6 ft. tall, 150 lbs., slim build, wearing a blue sports jersey and blue jeans.

3600 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Vehicle fire – 11:55pm. Officers responded for the report of a loud explosion.   Once on scene they discovered a 2010 Acura engulfed in flames in the rear parking. Fire/rescue personnel responded and extinguished the fire. Witnesses told officers that right before the explosion they saw a dark skin male, black hair, wearing dark pants and a blue shirt, standing by the vehicle. When vehicle exploded he ran towards Bunker Hill Road leaving the driver’s side door open. A fire marshal responded and took samples from the vehicle for further investigation.

March 17^th:

Arundel Road and 32^nD Street: M/V collision – 8:30pm. Officers investigating a traffic collision learned that a man driving south bound on Arundel Road made an abrupt turn onto 32^nd Street striking a vehicle traveling north bound on Arundel Road. Further investigation revealed that the driver of the striking vehicle did not have a drivers’ license and had been charged for it previously. The driver of the striking vehicle was arrested and his vehicle impounded.

4100 block of 30^th Street: Domestic – 10:25pm. Officers learned that a father was attempting to speak to his son about the son’s drug use when things turned physical. The father and son struggled with each other and the son fled the residence. Officers documented the incident and advised the father of his options.

March 16^th:

2300 block of Arundel Road: Theft – 12:25am. The store owner told officers that a man came in and wanted to by three Dutch Master Cigarillos. The owner gave the man the cigarillos and the man fled on foot without paying for them.

4600 block of 29^th Street: Vehicle impound – 9:30am. Officers impounded an unregistered 1997 Mazda Protégé.

2300 block of Varnum Street (7-11): Theft – 12:35pm. The store manager told officers that a man came into the store and selected chips, juice and some fruit. The man then fled the store on foot without making any attempt to pay for the merchandise.

3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Warrant service – 12:05pm. A man came in to the police station to surrender on an open warrant. The warrant was obtained by Queens Anne’s County Sheriffs for traffic charges. A Queens Anne’s County Sheriff responded and took custody of the arrestee.

March 15^th:

4100 block of 31^st Street: Disorderly – 12:50am. Officers stopped a 2002 Chevy after witnessing the driver commit several traffic violations. Further investigation led to the need to impound the vehicle. The driver, after having been issued several citation attempted to physically obstruct the tow truck driver. After refusing repeated warnings by the officers to stop obstructing the tow truck the driver was arrested, charged with disorderly conduct and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

4500 block of Eastern Avenue (BP station): Robbery – 5:40am. The station attendant told officers that a truck crashed through the right side of the building taking out the glass wall and causing severe damage to the building. The attendant could not give much additional information, however once officers were able to view the video security footage they saw that once the truck smashed through the wall two unknown males proceeded to take the ATM machine, place it in the back of the truck and flee across Eastern Avenue into DC. PGPD robbery detectives responded to conduct a follow-up investigation; and a fire marshal responded to inspect the building and determined that it was unsafe and had to be closed.

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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