Police Report: July 19-25

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 25^th:

3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Traffic – 1:55am. Officers stopped a 2013 Nissan after an automated license plate reader indicated that the tags were suspended. The ALPR information was verified and the tags were seized for return to MVA and the vehicle was impounded. The driver was issued several State traffic citations.

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: Traffic – 10:10pm. Officers stopped a 1998 Honda after observing that a front seat passenger was not wearing a seat belt. Further investigation revealed that the driver only had a learner’s permit and the passenger did not qualify as a supervisor. The driver and passenger were both issued traffic citations and the vehicle was impounded.

4000 block of 33^rd Street: Criminal citation – 11pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for urinating in public.

July 24^th:

Rhode Island Ave and 34^th Street: M/V collision – 8am. The driver of a 2005 Chevy Cobalt failed to yield the right of way to a 2015 GMC Terrain that was already in the traffic circle. The Cobalt struck the GMC on the right rear passenger side with its front driver’s side. The driver of the Cobalt was issued several traffic citations. The GMC was inoperable after the collision and had to be towed from the scene.

3700 block of 34^th Street: Theft – 4:20pm. The owner of a Trek bicycle told officers that while he was inside of his home person(s) unknown came up on his porch and stole his bike. A canvass of the area was conducted with negative results.

3300 block of Buchanan Street: Returned missing person – 6:30pm. Officers conducted a follow up on a female who was reported missing by her mother on October 27, 2010. The officers personally confirmed that the female was in good spirits and appeared to be in good health. Communications was advised to remove the missing person from NCIC files.

July 23^rd:

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: 2^nd degree assault – 1:40am. The victim told officers that she was waiting for a bus when an unidentified man approached her and called her by her nickname. The man grabbed her by her left arm with a tight grip and pushed her to the ground. She managed to get off the ground and took the first bus she saw. The victim decided to go to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a left shoulder sprain that was caused by her being thrown to the ground.

4100 block of 28^th Street: Theft from auto – 5:10am. The owner of a 2000 VW Beetle and a 2000 VW Jetta told officers that sometime between 1am this morning and the time he called police someone broke into both his vehicles and stole the in-dash radios.

3800 block of 34^th Street: Criminal citation – 8:55am. Officers issued each of two men a criminal citation for drinking in public.

One Municipal Place: Criminal citation – Officers issued a man a criminal citation for urinating in public.

3700 block of 34^th Street: Loitering – 12:25pm. Officers issued each of two men loitering warning notices banning them from the area for 30 days.

4300 block of Kaywood Drive: Robbery – 3pm. A woman came into the police station and told officers that she was a victim of a robbery at about 11pm on the 22^nd. She said that as she was gathering her belongings from her vehicle, a man approached her, grabbed her purse out of her hand and ran away. PGPD robbery detectives were contacted and they will conduct a follow-up investigation with the victim.

Russell Avenue and Arundel Road: Traffic – 7:20pm. Officers stopped a 2003 Toyota for a traffic violation. Further investigation revealed that the tags were suspended for an emissions violation and for a compulsory insurance violation. The tags were seized for return to MVA and the vehicle was impounded. The driver was issued a warning citation for the traffic violation.

July 22^nd:

3100 block of Chillum Road (7-11): 2^nd degree assault – 2:30pm. The victim told officers that he was accosted by two Hispanic males as he got out of his car. One of them produced a knife and threatened to cut him. The victim fled the parking lot and called police. Officers searched the area for the victim’s assailant and located him several blocks away. The victim positively identified him and he was arrested. The suspect was identified as a juvenile who had been previously reported missing from an address in Hyattsville on July 19^th.  The juvenile was charged with assault and released to a guardian pending Juvenile Court action.

4200 block of Russell Avenue: Property damage – 8:15pm. Officers spoke with the owner of a 2012 Chrysler 300 who said that he came out to his vehicle this evening and discovered damage to the driver’s side rear door. Officers were unable to determine if the damage was caused by another vehicle or some other foreign object.

3500 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 10:30am. Officers issued each of three men a criminal citation for disorderly conduct.

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: Criminal citation – 7:55pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public.

2500 block of Allison Street: Domestic assault – 11:35pm. The victim told officers that she confronted her husband about an alleged affair. The confrontation turned physical when her husband assaulted her by grabbing her with a tight grip and restrained her from moving. He then held her down with his forearm on the side of her neck and screamed at her. A Lethality Assessment Screen was conducted and the screen determined she was at risk. She spoke with a counselor at the Family Crisis Center and was advised of her options. The victim did not have any physical evidence of injury and both parties were advised of their options with the Court Commissioner.

July 21^st:

2200 block of Varnum Street: Theft from auto – 11:20am. The owner of a 2008 Nissan Maxima told officers that he parked and secured his vehicle in the Family Dollar parking lot. When he returned to his vehicle about 15 minutes later he discovered that someone had broken out the passenger side window and stole a book bag from inside.

3200 block of Varnum Street: Theft from auto (supplement) – 3:20pm. Officers conducted follow up on a theft from auto that occurred on July 15^th. They learned that the victim’s credit card was utilized at the Alife Store at 34^th and Bunker Hill. Officers obtained video footage of a suspect using the victim’s credit card and are in the processes of trying to identify him. 

July 20^th:

One Municipal Place: Criminal citation – 1pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for urinating in public.

3300 block of Otis Street: MIR – 3pm. Officers along with Code Enforcement personnel responded for the report of a code violation. Upon on arrival officers spoke with the lease holder and advised them of the observed violation and gave instructions on what needed to be addressed.

3200 block of Varnum Street: Theft – 7:25pm. The resident told officers that sometime between 7am this morning and the time she called police someone stole four plants that had been planted in the grassy area by her driveway. No evidence or witnesses were identified.

July 19^th:

4600 block of 30^th Street: Missing person – 12:25am. The mother of a teenage boy told officers that she had not seen or heard from her son since the 17^th. She said that her son has no medical issues and is in good health mentally and physically. By the time officers went to list the child in the NCIC missing persons files the mother called back and said her son had been located and was in good health.

4500 block of 34^th Street: M/V collision – 8am. The driver of a 2015 Honda told officers that she lost control of her vehicle while traveling too fast and went off the roadway onto curb and damaged shrubbery in the yard of a private residence.

4500 block of Eastern Avenue (BP station): Stolen vehicle – 2:25pm. Officers responded for the report of a stolen 2003 Infinity that just occurred. While in route to the call officers saw the vehicle at Rhode Island Avenue and Eastern Avenue. The vehicle, driven by a black male, fled from the officers on Eastern Avenue towards Bladensburg Road and made good its escape. Officers interviewed the vehicle’s owner and learned that she was pumping gas with her vehicle idling and the doors unlocked when a gold newer model Chevy four door pulled alongside of her vehicle.  When she took the pump handle out of the vehicle she watched her vehicle drive off. She did not see the suspect enter the vehicle during the theft. Officers viewed security video and noted that the suspects were driving a light colored newer model Chevy Malibu. In the video the suspect vehicle drives by the gas station then returns and stops next to the victim’s vehicle. A black male wearing a white tee shirt gets out, gets into the victims vehicle and both vehicles drive off.     

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.