1700 16th St NW: Afternoon Scooter Jacking & Armed Robbery

Yes, I know the murder rate in DC is down this year… but these types of crimes tend to blunt my enthusiasm for the news.

A scooter-jacking (Sunday, 1:30 p.m.) and an armed robbery (Monday, 1:40 p.m.), both occurred on the 1700-block of 16th Street NW, which is between R and S Streets. Both involved handguns, which means these were what I could call “murders avoided.” Furthermore, these crimes occurred in a “safe” area that is heavily traveled by pedestrians, cars and buses.

My enthusiasm for the lower murder rate is curbed by news such as this, which was reported by Police Service Area 208.

• August 9, 1:30 p.m. Robbery Force Violence/Carjacking, 1700-block of 16th St. NW. “On August 9, 2009, at approximately 1:30 PM in the 1700 blk 16th St. NW. C-1 reported that S-1 pulled a gun from his waist band and advises C_1 to turn over his scooter. S-2and S-3 struck C-1 in the back of the head with an unknown object. S-1, S-2 and S-3 fled the scene with C1 scooter.”

• August 10, 1:40 p.m. Armed Robbery, 1700-block of 16th Street NW. “On August 10, 2009, at approximately 1:40PM, in the 1700 blk of 16 St. NW, C-1 reported that he was approached by a subject who had displayed a gun and took his I-POD. No look out was available at the time of this offense.”