Collington Station Burglary Alert

The City of Bowie issued the following burglary alert for the Collington Station neighborhood in Bowie.

John K. Nesky
Chief of Police


April 2013

The Bowie Police Department recently had three burglaries reported in your community. We have put together some safety tips to help you protect your home against break ins.

• During the day, leave drapes and shades in a normal position - the way you have them when at home. Don’t leave easily movable valuables in sight close to windows.
• At night, leave on some inside lights - bathrooms and hallways, for example.
• Consider buying automatic timers that turn lamps on after dark, then off a few hours later or at dawn.
• Never leave garage doors open - especially with no car in sight. This is a WELCOME sign to burglars.
• Install deadbolt locks. Make sure locks are firmly screwed in solid wood - not just into a light door jamb. The longer the screws and the longer the lock bolt, the safer your home will be.
• Burglars often try to find out if anyone is home by phoning. Warn family members, especially children, not to give out information over the phone.
• Avoid putting your name on mailboxes or on doors.
• Don’t open your door to anyone you don’t know and trust.
• Never keep large sums of cash around the house. Keep valuable jewelry that you don’t often wear in a safe deposit box.
• Don’t advertise your vacation plans. Let a trusted neighbor know you’re going on vacation and ask them to keep an eye on your house and pick up any mail or newspapers left at your doorstep.
• If you’ll be away from your home for an extended time, tell the Bowie Police Department 301-575-2480.
• Be a good neighbor. Keep an eye on your neighbors’ homes and ask them to do the same for you.
• The Bowie Police Department offers free home security surveys. Please contact Sgt. Henderson at bhenderson@cityofbowie.org to set up an appointment.

 

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO THE BOWIE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Sgt. Bennie Henderson
Community Service Supervisor

Three Year-Old Bowie Resident Arrested after Burglary Spree

A joint investigation between the Bowie and Prince George's County police departments into a rash of recent burglaries resulted in the apprehension of the youngest suspect ever to be arrested in the county. A three year-old boy was detained by police on Thursday after detectives working a stakeout in Bowie's Whitehall section observed the preschooler exiting a house through a "doggy door" with stolen goods.

"When the detectives brought this kid back to the station, I was like, you've got to be kidding!" said recently appointed Bowie Police Chief John Nesky. "I thought these guys were pulling a prank, but after viewing the surveillance video, I realized that this was no joke. Law enforcement has seen a trend in recent years where younger and younger people are being arrested for burglaries and even armed robberies, but this one goes beyond the beyonds."

Once the suspect was in custody, it didn't take investigators long to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The boy would sneak out of his house each afternoon after his elderly babysitter fell asleep during nap time. "I play Swiper the Fox," the boy told detectives - an apparent reference to a sneaky thief on the Nickelodeon cable television show Dora the Explorer. Police recovered jewelry, watches and a large stash of candy in the boy's bedroom closet.

According to a spokesperson for the Prince George's County State's Attorney's office, the boy has been released to the custody of his parents, and no charges will be filed. "Police officers had a talk with the boy," the official said, "and they gave him a stern message: no swiping."

Early Morning Shooting Leaves One Dead in Bowie

The Bowie Star is reporting an early morning shooting that left one person dead on Old Annapolis Road in Bowie around 5:30am. There aren't a lot of details available at the moment. According to Bowie activist Sandy Short, Old Annapolis Road is closed in front of the liquor store as of 11:30am.

Click here to read the Bowie Star story. I'm sure that it will be updated as details become available.

Armed Robbery in Allen Pond Park

Four people sitting on a park bench at Allen Pond were robbed by four young men, including one with a semi-automatic handgun last week. One of the suspects instructed the victims to hand over their wallets. One of the victims was punched in the face for not complying. No arrests have been made, but two of the four stolen wallets were recovered.

The crime took place around 7:30pm on Wednesday, September 15th.

Click here to read the Bowie Police Department report.

Man Killed in Bowie Shooting

A man died of multiple gunshot wounds after a shooting in the 3600 block of Elder Oaks Boulevard in Bowie Wednesday night (see map below). Police were notified after the victim was dropped off at the Northview Fire/EMS Station by three men in a van. Bowie Police officers were able to quickly locate the van, and three suspects were detained for questioning. The victim is not a Bowie resident.

The Bowie Police Department reported the following details.

On 09/08/2010 at approximately 2121Hrs Bowie Police Units responded to the area of Health Center Drive and Northview Drive in reference to a person with a gunshot wound. The Victim was dropped off by a burgundy mini van at Bowie Volunteer Fire Department 816 (Northview) with multiple gunshot wounds. The Victim was transported by ambulance to Prince George’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Burgundy van that was used to transport the victim to the Fire Department was observed by Bowie Police Units and stopped at Collington Road at Route 50 West. A felony traffic stop was conducted and (3) subjects were identified, detained and transported to Prince George’s County Criminal Investigation Division-Homicide for further investigation. The shooting occurred in the 3600 Block of Elder Oaks Boulevard. Detective Watts #1589 of the Prince Georges County Police is conducting the investigation and is the contact for any further inquiries.

Click here to read the full Bowie Police Department report.

3600 block of Elder Oaks Boulevard
Bowie, MD 20716

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Drug Arrests Signal Shift in Police Department Capabilities

Three people were arrested on drug charges when a search and seizure warrant was served in the 15000 block of Nighthawk Lane in Bowie earlier this month. According to the Bowie Police Department, marijuana, cocaine and drug paraphernalia were confiscated in the raid.

The investigation and the warrant services were conducted by members of the Bowie Police Department. Not long ago, these tasks would have been handled by the Prince George's County Police Department, but the Bowie force is increasing its role.

"As the department moves forward and grows we will continue to work toward expanding our capabilities," said Bowie Deputy Police Chief John Nesky. "One of our objectives for the fiscal year is to begin establishing an investigative division, and we are moving steadily toward that goal."


Related Links

• Police report associated with the search and seizure

Armed Robbery in the Bowie Town Center

An armed robber made off with an unknown amount of jewelery just before noon today from Kay Jewelers in the Bowie Town Center. One round from the suspect's gun discharged and hit the floor. The Bowie Police reported the following:

On 8/26/10 at 1135 Hrs, Bowie Police responded to Kay Jewelers, located at 15505 Emerald Way for an Armed Robbery. Upon arrival, officers were advised that the suspect entered the T/A, displayed an unknown caliber handgun, and demanded that the clerk empty the jewelry case. The clerk complied and gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of jewelry. As the suspect fled the store, one round discharged from his weapon and struck the floor to the T/A. The suspect fled the scene towards Evergreen Pkwy. Arriving Officers immediately set up a perimeter and PG Police K-9 responded to attempt a track, with negative results. PG Police Robbery units arrived on the scene to assist with the investigation. No injuries occurred during the incident.

Click here to read the full Bowie Police report.

Hilltop 7-11 Robbed by Man with Gun

The 7-11 convenience store in Hilltop Plaza was robbed by a man with a gun early last Thursday morning, August 5th. The suspect made off with $25 in cash and fifteen packs of cigarettes. The robbery was captured on the store surveillance video. Click here to read the report from the City of Bowie Police Department.

Crime Down in 2010 for Prince George's County

The Prince George's County Police Department announced last week that crime is down 6.3% for the first half of 2010 versus the same period in 2009. Here are some statistics from the announcement:

• violent crime down 11.7% (homicides down 14%; rapes down 10.8%)
• property crime down 5.3%
• robberies down 18.3%

Click here to read more details on the Prince George County Police News Blog.

Statistics also showed a decline in crime for Prince George's County from 2008 to 2009, although there was an increase in crime in Bowie for the same period. I still haven't heard Bowie crime statistics for the first half of 2010.


Related Links

• Story from the Prince George's County Police News Blog
• Bowie Living post on the rise in crime in Bowie between 2008 and 2009
  

Alleged Serial Killer's Name Released

Jason Thomas Scott, 27, of Largo has been indicted by a grand jury for the Largo murders of Delores and Ebony Dewitt. Scott is also suspected in the murders of Karen and Karissa Lofton of Largo and Vilma Artis Butler of Bowie. The Prince George's County Police have described Scott as a serial killer, and officials said that Scott tracked his victims via a computer database while employed by UPS.

Click here to read more details in the Washington Post's Crime Scene Blog.


Related Links

• Gazette article on indictment
  
• Washington Post: time line of events leading to indictment
• WTOP article on indictment
• WJLA ABC 7 article on indictment
• Fox 5 DB article on indictment
  

Armed Robbery in Kenilworth Section

Two men chased a Knowledge Lane resident during a robbery attempt early this morning, but the victim was able to outrun the men and lock himself in his house. The men unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry to the victim's house by breaking two glass door panels with a handgun. The suspects fled with the victims keys. In his rush to get inside, the victim left his keys in the lock.

Click here (PDF) to see the related Bowie Police Report.

Serial Killer's Mother/Daughter Profile may Match Bowie Murder

According to a report by WUSA Channel 9, the murder of Bowie resident Vilma Artis Butler may match the mother/daughter profile of the 2009 Largo killings allegedly committed by a serial killer who is currently in custody. Butler's daughter was not at home on the night of the murder because she had left to attend a training class. A family friend is speculating that the killer may have intended to kill both Butler and her daughter, but Butler's daughter had a change in her routine that caused her to be away from home. Click here to see the WUSA report.

Details about the suspect in custody are slowly emerging. Another WUSA report reveals details of an Accokeek home invasion in 2008 that is linked to the suspected serial killer. Click here to see the WUSA report.

Shot Fired During 7-Eleven Robbery in Bowie

A man fired a shot into the ceiling of the 7-Eleven in Bowie's Collington Plaza this morning as he yelled at the clerk to give him money. The suspect fled on foot, and he is currently being sought. A total of $120 was taken in the robbery. Read this post from the Washington Post's Crime Scene Blog for more details.

Related Links

• Bowie Star article
• City of Bowie Department report (PDF)
  

Serial Murderer May be Responsible for 2008 Bowie Killing

Vilma Patrice Artis Butler was shot and killed in 2008, and her Bowie home was set on fire in an apparent attempt to cover-up her murder. Prince George's County Police are now saying that a serial killer allegedly responsible for four 2009 Largo murders is also suspected in Butler's death.

Karen Lofton and her daughter Karissa were murdered in their Largo home in January, 2009, and Delores Dewitt and her daughter Ebony were found dead in a stolen car nearly two months later and less than two miles from the Lofton's home in Largo. Police searched for a link between the Lofton and Dewitt murders due to similarities in the two crimes, but a 2009 investigation by an FBI profiler erroneously concluded that the two cases were not linked.

Police announced just yesterday that there was a person of interest in the four Largo murders who they considered to be a serial murderer, and today Prince George's County Police Chief Roberto Hylton was using phrases like "overwhelming evidence" and "not your run-of-the-mill criminal."

Police say that the suspect may also be responsible for murders outside of Maryland.

Click here to read the story in the Washington Post.


Related Links

• Washington Post article (most detailed article to date)
  
• Latest article from the Gazette
• 2009 Washington Post article on the FBI Profiler's Investigation
• 2008 Gazette article on the murder of Vilma Patrice Artis Butler

Crime Down for D.C. Region but Up for Bowie

The Metropolitan Council of Government released its Annual Report on Crime and Crime Control 2009 last week. The good news for the D.C. region is that the more serious crimes (known as the part 1 crimes) are down nearly 8 percent from 2008 to 2009. However, the statistics reported by the City of Bowie Police Department show a 12 percent year-over-year increase for Bowie.
The Maryland jurisdictions included in the study had an 11% decrease in part 1 crimes, compared with 6.2% for D.C. and 4.0 for Virginia. The report credits cooperation among law enforcement agencies as one of the contributing factors for the decrease.

Continued cooperation and communication among agencies throughout the NCR will further enable jurisdictions to work toward continued reductions in major crimes. The use of innovative technologies, including License Plate Readers, and computers and GPS in police cars, as well as other enhanced data sharing technologies available to officers, such as LInX, has enabled the NCR to improve its crime reduction efforts during this period of economic downturn.

Related Links

• The Metropolitan Council of Governments' press release announcing the report.
  
• The Metropolitan Council of Governments' Annual Report on Crime and Crime Control 2009 report.
• Related story from the The Breaking News Blog
  

Bowie Bank Robbed

The Chevy Chase Bank at the corner of Annapolis Road and Highbridge Road in Bowie was robbed today by a man considered to be a serial bank robber. The same man is wanted for robbing the M&T Bank in Bowie Plaza on June 12th.

Click on the links below for additional details.


Related Links

• Alert from Prince George's County Police Department (includes photo from latest robbery)
  
• Story on the The Crime Scene Blog
  
• Prince George's County Police Department Surveillance Pictures
• WJLA News 7 Story
  
• Channel 8 News Story

Shooting Leaves One Dead in Bowie Saturday Night

The Washington Post is reporting that three people were shot at a party late Saturday in the 11500 block of Lottsford Terrace in the Woodmore section of Bowie (see map below). Aaron Leach, 21, of Upper Marlboro was killed, and two other men were wounded. Family members were told that Leach broke up a fight between two men during a party, and one of the men left and later returned with a gun. Click here to read the story in the Washington Post.

11500 block of Lottsford Terrace, Bowie, MD

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See also:

• NBC4 story
  

Youth Equipment Stolen from Grace Baptist Church in Bowie

Fox 5 news is reporting that "gym mats and other trampoline equipment" along with a trailer were stolen from the Grace Baptist Church Youth Annex on Torah Lane in the middle of a four day long youth event called iTeens Remix. Click here to read the story and see the related video.

Two Charged for Bowie High School Beating

The Washington Post Crime Scene Blog is reporting that two boys have been charged as juveniles for the videotaped beating of a 17 year old student at Bowie High last Friday. One source indicated that the victim was able to identify the suspects by searching through yearbook pictures, but another report indicates that the attackers were identified via school surveillance footage.

The attack video was posted on Facebook and YouTube, but YouTube removed the video from its Web site. Footage can now be seen on the WJLA ABC 7 Web site.

The suspects face expulsion.





Click on these links for additional information:

• The Washington Post Crime Scene Blog post
• WJLA ABC 7 story, including footage of the beating
• Bowie Star story

Police Release Names of Suspects in Bowie BB&T Robbery

Tarintini Jean-Louis of Brooklyn, New York and Bernard Hasan Tyler of Mt. Rainier face robbery and other charges related to the robbery and shooting incident near the BB&T bank in Bowie on Monday. Jean-Louis scuffled with Corporal Edward King of the Prince George's County Police Department after King interrupted the robbery, and both King and Jean-Louis were wounded during a struggle for King's gun. A third suspect remains at large.

See the following links for more details:

• News Channel 8 story
• The Crime Scene Blog from the Washington Post
• Prince George's County Police News Blog