Strange Crimes of the Week: Stroller Snatching; Waitress Threatening; Raccoon Screechings

Photo by Taga

Here's an exchange between a Glover Park resident, reporting on stroller thefts from front porches in his neighborhood, and MPD Police Office Michael Reese, who notes that "thieves will take anything that can be sold for a very small or large profit." True enough -- but with certain high-end strollers going for $800 or more retail, we're wondering whether the thieves are picking and choosing, or are still willing to take anything they can get that's left in plain view.

---------

Be sure to secure your stroller and be on the lookout for anyone you don't recognize either checking out or taking a stroller. Two strollers on our block were stolen last night. See below.

---a Glover Park resident

 We had a black Baby Jogger Summit XC stroller stolen from our front porch last night. I understand that our neighbors also had their blue Bob Revolution double stroller taken at the same time.

I'm curious if anyone else had something stolen from their porch yesterday. I imagine these folks were riding around in a van or something larger since these are biggish strollers.

I filed a police report and will also remind folks to please call 911 if you see anything suspicious like strollers being loaded up into vans in the middle of the night. It's probably not your neighbors getting ready for vacation ;)

...and Police Officer Michael Reese replies:

Thanks for sharing this information. I would like to encourage residents to secure all items of value as best as possible. Thieves will take anything that can be sold for a very small or large profit.

Here's a report of an incident that could have become something a bit more than scary, but fortunately stopped short of violence. Wait staff everywhere would be glad to hear these suspects found and brought to justice.

On Thursday, September 15, 2011, at approximately 11:00 p.m. a Threat to do Bodily Harm offense occurred inside an establishment in the 1800 block of 18th St., N.W. (PSA 208) and was subsequently reported to the MPD.

The reporting person stated that after serving two customers food, she was presented a menial tip and asked by the customers if the amount was enough. She replied yes, only if her service was bad and if not, then it was not enough of a tip. In response, the two customers became indignant and threatened to do bodily harm to the victim. When a manager was summoned the two suspects fled from the establishment.

The suspects are described as:

#1-Hispanic/Female, 21-22 years of age, 5'3"-5'5", 115-120 lbs. with brown eyes, long black hair, a medium complexion and a medium build. She was last seen wearing blue pants, a gray shirt and a black jacket.

#2-Black/Female, 18-21 years of age, 5'9", 150-160 lbs. with brown eyes, short black hair, a dark complexion and a medium build. She was last seen wearing blue pants and a red shirt.

And now for something that sounded bloodcurdling but wasn't:


Tuesday morning about 2 AM things were generally quiet in my neighborhood; however, at that time we heard from the rear of our house a horrible scream but no other unusual sounds followed. The scream sounded like a female voice. It is possible that the "scream" was made by a raccoon or even a fox. To be safe, I called 911.

Within 5 minutes 2 MPD cars arrived. After a quick consultation, one car patrolled the alley behind our house and the other car drove onto and patrolled the nearby "lower green field."

Thank you MPD for your prompt response and job well done. I'm glad that it was an apparent false alarm. Thank you for your service.

-------------------------------
  .
Both incidents quoted above were from the Second District Police listserv.