Property Crime on the Rise in Georgetown

Second District Commander Michael Reese said violent crime remained relatively stable, but there was a 16 percent increase in property crimes across the entire district with the biggest increases in PSA 206 and 208.

Cmdr. Reese said the Georgetown area had "a lot" of residential burglaries, a few at the University and some in the small commercial areas, "that’s basically what's driving our crime."

Overall crime is up 17 percent in Georgetown's PSA 206. Property crime is up by 29 percent compared to this time last year, for a total of 262 crimes in 2011 versus 203 in 2010. Burglaries are up 80 percent with 36 incidents this year versus 20 last year. Theft "Other" is up by 26 percent with 169 reported incidents in 2011 compared to 134 last year.

Cmdr. Reese said about the Second District that the "tranquility of the area had a tendency to have people want to keep their doors unlocked... I think quite frankly in the Second District they [criminals] knew that you could try these doors and a lot of them are unlocked."

"In Georgetown especially with group houses...they [residents] say they leave the doors unlocked," he added.

But it's not all bad news, violent crime is down by 56 percent. Robberies are down by 8 incidents or 42 percent and assault with a dangerous weapon is down 60 percent from 10 to 4.

To address the spike in PSA 206 Cmdr. Reese said they have a targeted deployments to strategic locations. Recently two officers made arrests in Georgetown to repeat offenders so they are "hoping to see burglaries valley a little."

The first arrest was April 21 Officer Robert Ferretti stopped a suspect from an incident that occurred in the 3100 block of N Street NW and since that time the detectives have been able to link the suspect to at least four other burglaries in the Georgetown area.  

The second was April 23 when Officer Adam Crist stopped and arrested a suspect from an incident that occurred in the 3700 block of O Street NW.  The suspect has an arrest history of thefts and receiving stolen property and officers are trying to determine if he is linked to other issues in the neighborhood.

At the CAC meeting the Officers of the Month were MPO David Jackson and Officer Michael Diemer. The two made an arrest and seized cannabis and $6,425 from the arrested. They received certificates of merit.

**To see crimes in every category in each PSA check out the PDF attached to this article.