Be on the Lookout for Suspicious Flatbed Truck Cruising Through Alleys in NW DC

Lt. Victor Braschnewitz of the Metropolitan Police Department, has posted this alert about a flatbed truck that could possibly be used to steal cars:

A citizen approached me this morning at 8:35 a.m. and reported he had, over the course of the last three days, noticed a flatbed truck in the area of 41st and Garrison Streets, NW. The flatbed truck was seen both this morning and Wednesday morning cruising through the alleys. The complete description of this vehicle is a large truck with a charcoal gray colored cab and an aluminum colored flatbed. The vehicle tag was not noted.

If anyone else notices this flatbed truck in their neighborhood, please call 911 and we will respond to investigate. It is not uncommon for some truck owner/drivers to use their vehicles to steal cars. Barring an obvious collision scenario, one should consider a truck cruising for cars as potential criminal activity afoot and one should not hesitate to call the MPD.

Suspicious Activity in Brookland

This just in from Brookland, as reported on the Brookland listserv...


We are on Upshur Street in Michigan Park near the Woodridge and Brookland borders. I recall a few recent notes of break-ins in the community and seem to recall someone mentioning the individuals were casing homes posing as lawn service. This morning a man came up to our door and rang the bell. My husband answered (we are both home during the day) and the man asked if we would like to have our leaves raked. My husband actually said "yes." The man left however, without raking. In hindsight, my husband says the man was not really dressed for raking.

I hate to be so suspicious; maybe this person just didn't feel like raking our leaves after all, maybe something came up, or maybe he plans to come back. But I'm left with the uneasy feeling that he was casing houses. We reported it to the police, and I wanted to send out the alert to all of you as well to be extra careful and be on the lookout. I'm feeling bad about being suspicious, but wanted to share because it seems pretty obvious that something is off.