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Knock_turnal t1_j6iwttn wrote

Bro, like, I know this for a fact but it still warrants repeating. MPD is useless af.

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88138813 t1_j6iy14e wrote

I understand the frustration, but MPD is just not going to go CSI-mode like you want them to over petty crime. I get packages stolen off my rowhome doorstep probably once a month and have crystal-clear video footage of it, but MPD still can't really do anything about it unless they happen to catch the person in the act. They don't even ask me for the video.

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88138813 t1_j6j20iv wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,621,102)

My personal opinion is that you're on a bit of a fool's errand. People in DC commit armed robbery and are out back on the street a week later. I'm not sure what you expect the end result to be here, especially given it sounds like you stopped the person before he actually committed a crime. I would take the money you plan on spending on a PI and put it towards building security to ensure future criminals can't break into it.

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AsbestosIn0bstetrics t1_j6j2aet wrote

>What can we do if the police won't help?

Follow him home and break into HIS building?

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gutterbrain73 t1_j6j2vei wrote

If the MPD isn't going to help, I can only suggest you contact WMATA, but I doubt they'll be willing to assist either.

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scotch_please t1_j6j3qxk wrote

Is he breaking into individual units or just the lobby so far? If this is a condo building, can you get the board to replace or reinforce door he's using to get in? If it's a rental, best you can do is ask management to install a budget camera to get your own footage but even then, I doubt MPD will file any sort of report.

You could buy bear spray but you'd likely be breathing it in and contaminating an indoor space after setting it off. And knowing MPD, they'd probably end up charging you for trying to protect yourself.

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FacitBull5O t1_j6j68tw wrote

You can ask wmta police tobaccess the video. Get your condo board to have him barred from the property. But you need a property manger or their representative

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FacitBull5O t1_j6jedgl wrote

FOIA are worthless. By the time they act on it the video will be over written.Most agencies only keep video 30 days unless associated with an investigation

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FacitBull5O t1_j6jg7nk wrote

Ok If you say so. Metro is technically private i believe but dont quote me on that. And the agency I have dealt with in the past only keepnit for 30 days then the servers start over due to DC not repairing or replacing the servers. I am not sure how long the buses keep it.

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DeliMcPickles t1_j6jgnas wrote

So you have the CC numbers for all of the crimes? Because if you put them all together, you should be able to get some traction. Also define "attempted to gain entry"? Is that pulling on the door? Because that's not going to be enough.

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diaymujer t1_j6jhber wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,624,661)

I didn’t call you an asshole. However, I also don’t like the idea of either you personally confronting this man, or your inciting others to do so. You have already said that there is likely to be an altercation because everyone in your building is on edge. Sounds like you want to take the altercation to him rather than waiting on him to come back to your building.

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veloharris t1_j6ji1yl wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,624,929)

Do you have film of all of these attempts? Can you discern why he's targeting your building if he continues to fail? I'd focus on figuring how to make your building an unappealing target.

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diaymujer t1_j6jludq wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,625,092)

Keep calling the cops. Escalate. File a complaint for lack of action. Contact your ANC. Contact your councilperson. Contact local news media.

What I would not do is DIY it, put this person’s identity out there [let’s hope you get it right and aren’t putting an innocent person on blast], and wait to see what the consequences are.

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beetnemesis t1_j6jlv75 wrote

Honestly I’d just lie. Call 911, say “it looks like he has a gun!” Etc.

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diaymujer t1_j6jms1n wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,626,329)

You’re missing my point. I’m not saying to go to the media with the guy’s picture. I’m saying go to the media (and the other entities) about MPD’s lack of responsiveness.

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honorspren000 t1_j6jn0b1 wrote

Is it a Metro bus? It’s quite possible. But you will likely need a subpoena from a lawyer.

About 10 years ago, a metro cop beat up my husband and arrested him and his buddy, then charged them with a federal offense for beating up a cop. The whole thing happened at a metro train station.

After the event, I talked to the MPDC police and they stood by the Metro cop’s testimony. They were absolutely useless.

So next, I called up Metro and got the run around quite a bit, but eventually we got a hold of the phone number to a Metro employee that maintains all Metro camera footage. He was a very agreeable, nice guy. He told us he would collect the footage in advance for us, but he can’t give it to us without a subpoena and paid some kind of fee to metro. So, we got a lawyer, got the subpoena, paid the fee, got the footage and showed up in court with it.

Before we went before the judge, the metro cop was allowed to see the pretty damning footage, and the guy decided to dropped all charges. The video showed that it was actually the cop that was beating up my husband, not the other way around. Our lawyer said we had a really good case against the cop if we wanted to sue, but sadly my husband decided to not pursue it further. He was pretty scarred by the whole thing and just wanted to put it behind him.

Anyways, it was 10 years ago, so I don’t know if the process has changed or if it’s different for WMATA buses. But hopefully this will help.

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qpdbun t1_j6jqdoo wrote

Someone from your building with the authority to bar this individual needs to do that. Grab a photo of the guy, print it out and attach it to the barring notice. Make the name John Doe if you don’t have any info on him. MPD will sign barring notices as a witness. The individual must be served with/made aware of the barring notice before it can take effect. When he returns the next time he can be arrested for unlawful entry. If there’s solid evidence of the crimes you allege this individual committed, the detectives will be able to close out all of those cases at once. He’ll still get off easy and be back at it the next day because it’s DC, but if you want him arrested that’s how you do it. Be aware him being arrested won’t fix anything long term, he’s likely been arrested already for numerous other things and continues to do what he does.

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Nick_hamlin t1_j6jr060 wrote

How do you know he’s a dangerous criminal?

−5

mulligansteak t1_j6jsb9n wrote

One thing to consider is to move fast. The video will record over within a month, max.

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diaymujer t1_j6jsd4o wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,626,487)

Then put up a camera in your doorway/hallway! Then you’ll have footage of him committing a crime, instead of footage of a guy on the bus that you say is the guy who broke into your building. Jeez Louise you are tedious.

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570casch t1_j6jtkz0 wrote

So I think you’ll be able to request the video of the bus under DC’s freedom of information act. I’m not sure if they’ll actually grant you access, but it’s worth a shot.

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ladebaha t1_j6jtnfa wrote

Replying to honorspren000 (#1,626,438)

Wow that's so awful! I'm sorry this happened to you all. I hope the cop was fired. It's unfair the cop got to see it prior to and scary what could have happened to your husband and his friend if you all hadn't had the footage.

−1

honorspren000 t1_j6jwa2g wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,626,535)

I don’t have the number anymore. Sorry. I think I just kept calling different metro numbers that I googled until someone FINALLY gave me the number for the metro footage guy. Forewarning though, several metro employees gave me bad information and told me it wasn’t possible to get the footage. Don’t believe them.

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honorspren000 t1_j6jx4gm wrote

Replying to ladebaha (#1,628,004)

I don’t think he was fired, unfortunately. The video was shown to the cop and his lawyer/representative privately in a booth, and was not shown to his employer, the judge or anything.

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EmbersDC t1_j6k68fh wrote

Replying to scotch_please (#1,621,844)

>You could buy bear spray

No, you cannot. Bear spray is illegal in DC and any populated area. I assume you've never used bear spray (I have several times). It is not something you want to use. 50% of the time the mist will come toward you or toward other people, thus placing their health in serious danger.

The OP can use mace, but record the entire incident because in DC you can be charged with assault with mace unless you can prove it was for protection.

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EmbersDC t1_j6k6eka wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,624,419)

If you have issues email the Commander in your Ward. Send video and photos as proof. I've always had MPD's full support when reporting an issue through the Ward's Commander.

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Jackson-mollusk t1_j6kaw1w wrote

This is probably terrible advice that you definitely shouldn’t take, but you seem pretty angry about this, so why not let him break in (he’s going to come back on his own anyway), then you and your neighbors/friends block the exits and trap him inside. Call the cops and wait for them to come. Is it a crime to deny someone an exit from a property they illegally entered in the first place? (I don’t know.) Unless this dude has a gun or is on some serious drugs (carefully assess that before pouncing) he probably can’t put up much resistance when confronted by 5-6 angry, home-defending adults. Just make sure you get the entire thing on camera, from the moment he breaks in to the moment he’s taken away. Make sure you have access to your building’s CCTV too.

I am not sure the metro bus CCTV footage will do anything tbh. Even if you get it, cops won’t care. Look at the idiots on dirtbikes and atvs. The cops have traffic camera shots of them and can tie it to Facebook photos from their dumbass rallies and they still don’t do squat. Maybe get an ID on the guy and attempt a restraining order?

(I’m not a lawyer and I don’t know shit about anything.)

1

ScottyC33 t1_j6kbbaj wrote

The only way to get the police to respond is to say you think he has a gun. Sad but true. It’s also why police shoot so many people that end up being unarmed despite the 911 callers saying they think they have a weapon… Because it’s the only way to get a police response at all.

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MobiusAurelius t1_j6kdbbm wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,621,102)

If you get the footage and the photo is clear plaster it around the neighborhood, put it in the neighborhood app, and put a giant one that says "bruh, leave the mask at home, we know who you are" on the door of your building.

Id also try and do those postings anonymously.

3

noleggysadsnail t1_j6kfsnz wrote

Years ago, someone broke into my neighbor's home through an unlocked window. MPD wouldn't take a report because it was not "breaking" and entering, and the guy didn't steal anything before he was scared off, so they claimed no crime had been committed. If you haven't already insisted on filing police reports for each incident I'd start there, and then maybe go to your CM.

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DeliMcPickles t1_j6knwu7 wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,624,419)

Also depending on the charge, they probably can't make the arrest without a warrant. Also second talking to the District Commander. Also look up your PSA on the district website and all of the relevant supervisor details are on there also.

And just some advice. I know this is driving you crazy. You sound super pissed about it. And i get it. But maybe try and frame the email a little less emotionally.

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malganis12 t1_j6l0jml wrote

People are fed up with DC's lackadaisical approach to public safety during a crime wave. Permit applications for guns are skyrocketing. Someone is going to get hurt if the city doesn't get its act together.

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Diffine_nightly t1_j6l7ejz wrote

Contact WMATA. They actually are very on top of reports and do keep CCTV footage on all fleets. But they probs aren't going to share it unless they can figure out a suspect.

But what happens when this guy breaks in? Is you apartment doing anything about it? The guy has to be committing a crime for them to do anything.

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PreparationH692 t1_j6l98qe wrote

Leads? They got 15 guys working on the case. Got them working in shifts.

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DistrictGrow t1_j6lbq2h wrote

Replying to malganis12 (#1,639,014)

Was at the police department registering a handgun last week and it was PACKED! So many first time registrations they were two hours behind and that is with appointments required for specific times.

This is what happens when you have crime increasing and enforcement decreasing.

The police aren't going to protect you. You need to take responsibility for your own safety.

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manisto009 t1_j6ldyhp wrote

You should write to the media. That's outrageous.

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Pipes_of_Pan t1_j6ll183 wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,645,092)

I get that. But if someone was pressing WMATA for footage of a friend or loved one at their regular bus stop, I’m guessing you’d want at least a few guardrails up. This guy probably wasn’t the only person riding the bus.

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