New Details and Worried Neighbors After Burleith Armed Robbery

Neighbors are increasingly worried about security in Burleith after an armed robbery occurred on the 3500 block of S Street just after midnight Saturday morning. The preliminary incident report confirms rumors floating around the community that the incident was drug-related and that the home was targeted by the suspects.

According to the preliminary public incident report (see PDF excerpt), the suspects were looking for drugs and one of the occupants of the home.

"Where's Badger and where's the drugs and money," asked one of the suspects, according to the report.

The suspects were aggressive, repeatedly saying "they would kill" the victims as the suspects searched the house for roommate "Badger," drugs and money.

When the roommate, Badger, could not be found, the suspects stole two laptops, three cell phones, a driver's license and a passport from the victims.

Lenore Rubino, president of the Burleith Citizens Association, said she has received several emails from worried neighbors.

"Normally we do not have robberies and burglaries of that nature," she said.

Even if the incident was targeted at the occupants of the home, the concern is what would have occurred "if a neighbor had happened to be walking by, someone who knew absolutely nothing about it," said Ed Solomon, the ANC Public Safety Chair.

The neighborhood is home to many young children and families, said Solomon, so the incident over the weekend "has been extremely concerning."

The ANC and the safety committee of the Burleith Citizens Association are "getting together to talk about this to see what we as community leadership can do to speak as one voice," to neighbors and the police.

Solomon expressed confidence in the increased police presence in the neighborhood and referenced what Lt. Hedgecock said at the meeting "the police can’t do this alone."

Rubino urged neighbors need to call 9-1-1 to notify "MPD of anything that looks suspicious. Don't push it away, call them up, because a lot of times it leads to something."