District VII Crime Report: April May 5-11, 2021

Provided by Cpl. Rannacher, sdrannacher@co.pg.md.us, Cell 240-507-8110, Desk 301-292-5339

District VII crime statistics from Major Mitchell's report to the May 12, 2021 SCCR:

• The past week had 3 theft calls including the theft of vehicle tags, material from vacant or under construction homes, and gas grills & patio furniture. 
• Year to date there were a total of 117 crimes, of which 100 were property crimes and 17 were violent. Major Mitchell advises all to secure your property.
• Year to date officer enforcement on MD 210: 840 stops resulting in 1,013 citations, and 5 DUI arrests (one involved 22 grams of heroin).

MD 210 Year to date speed camera enforcement:

MDTA Police Conduct High Visibility Enforcement across Maryland

•  In response to concerns about unsafe driving behaviors and the rising number of traffic deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police enhanced its traffic safety enforcement and awareness efforts across Maryland on Monday. Officers from all MDTA Police detachments – MDTA toll bridges, tunnels and highways; BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport; and the Port of Baltimore – participated in the initiative, which stretched across eight counties and Baltimore City.
• “Last year, 569 members of our families, workplaces and communities tragically lost their lives on Maryland roadways while driving, riding, walking or biking,” said MDTA Police Chief Colonel Kevin M. Anderson. “What’s the single most important step to protect yourself and your loved ones before you even start the ignition? Making sure you and everyone in your vehicle is buckled.” 
• MDTA Police Officers conducted 707 traffic stops during the initiative. Officers arrested one driver suspected of being impaired, and two persons wanted on open warrants for criminal charges. During one arrest, a Baltimore man was taken into custody on an open warrant through the Baltimore Police Department for his alleged role in an assault case involving a firearm.
• MDTA Police patrol officers were supported by specialized units such as the agency’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Unit, Criminal Investigations Unit, Homeland Enforcement and Traffic (HEAT) Team and Motors Unit. The MDTA Police also partnered with the Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County Police and the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff during the initiative.
• The MDTA Police encourages all motorists to “Be the driver who saves lives” and work together as partners to help make Maryland’s roadways safe for all users. Please remember to:
              - Obey posted speed limits.
              - Buckle up. Every seat. Every time. Day and night.
              - MOVE OVER for emergency vehicles, tow trucks and service vehicles.
              - Avoid distractions and devote your full attention to the road.
              - Watch for motorcycles, bikes and pedestrians.
              - Drive sober or make a plan for a designated driver.
• MDTA Police Officers will continue regular patrols and targeted high visibility enforcement. To report dangerous driving on Maryland toll roads, call MDTA Police Dispatch at 410-537-7911.

Tiger Woods crash was caused by driving at an unsafe speed, sheriff’s department says

(Click on the image above for Adam Kilgore's Washington Post Report)

• Tiger Woods’s late February car crash in Southern California was caused by Woods driving at an unsafe speed and by an inability to negotiate a curve in the road, according to findings released Wednesday after a lengthy delay by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
• Woods was traveling between 84 and 87 mph in a 45-mph zone when his Genesis SUV hit the median, and the vehicle was traveling 75 mph when it skidded, hit a tree and launched airborne before settling into a ditch, department officials said.
• A data recorder in the car showed no braking during the collision and that the accelerator was pressed at 99 percent capacity, which led investigators to speculate Woods panicked and pressed the gas pedal rather than the brake pedal.

Note that the crushing of his car took a lot of the energy from the crash and the structure and safety features likely saved Tiger Wood's life.

Theft from Auto Is Our Most Preventable Crime! We Can Prevent It!

Please be sure to remove all items from inside your vehicles and LOCK them!
Do not leave your vehicle running to warm it up in the morning. Criminals are on the prowl looking to jump into vacant running vehicles.

Protect it. It's Yours.

Theft from Vehicle (24 March 2020 - 23 March 2021)

(Click on the image above and zoom in for details)

Theft of Vehicle (24 March 2020 - 23 March 2021)

(Click on the image above and zoom in for details)

From John Townsend, AAA:

Be Wary of Your Vehicle Key Fobs Being Hacked Amid Coronavirus Pandemic Auto Thefts Skyrocketed

• In Washington, D.C., Prince George's County and Across USA in 2020, Trend Continues In 2021
• Following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and more people worked from home, auto thefts rose dramatically in Washington, D.C. by a factor of 50 percent during 2020, and auto thefts rose nearly 15 percent in Prince George’s County, and motor vehicle thefts increased by 9.2 percent across the United States in 2020.
• All told, 2,375 motor vehicles were stolen in Prince George’s County during 2020, compared to 2,070 stolen vehicles during 2019, comprising a 14.7 percent uptick year over year, according to data from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
• Meanwhile, the number of so-called “Jump-In” auto thefts, where the motorist leaves the motor running while running an errand, reportedly skyrocketed threefold  or an increase of  327 percent, by mid-December, with 469  vehicles stolen in this manner, in the County in 2020.
• Yet criminals are using wireless signals to steal automobiles. Such capers increased because “some drivers forgot a key fob inside.” Other major cities, such as New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, and Hartford, also witnessed a big spike in auto thefts during 2020.

[Click here for AAA tips on protecting your vehicles]

Area Crime: Jan 1 - March 18, 2021

(Click on the image above for the map)

 Wider area map:

Protect it. It's Yours.