Thief Armed With Switchblade Knife Robs Men in Mount Pleasant

A thief armed with a switchblade knife robbed two men in Mount Pleasant over the weekend, according to D.C. Police.

The robbery happened on the 3300 block of Mount Pleasant St. NW around 9:15 p.m. Saturday night.

According to a police report, two men were walking along the street when a man approached them from behind and asked, “what’s in your pockets?” while pulling out a closed switchblade knife. One of the men responded, “are you serious?” to which the robber said, “I’m dead-ass.”

The robber then went through the victims’ pockets and stole some money and an iPhone, police said. The robber also took a backpack from one of the men.

The thief was last seen headed south on Mt. Pleasant Street, according to authorities.

Police are also on the lookout for a robber who held up a taxi driver near U Street early Saturday.

Someone approached a taxi cab on the 2000 block of Vermont Ave. NW around 2:30 a.m. Saturday and demanded a ride, police said. When the driver of the taxi refused, the robber said, “okay where is your money? If you don’t give it to me I will blow your head off.” Fearing the robber had a gun, the taxi driver gave him $100.

The robber ran off soon after. Police did not release a description of the suspect.

Additionally, a man punched a woman and hit her with a broken bottle after she took a photo with another man in Adams Morgan early Sunday morning.

Police said the violent assault happened on the 2700 block of Ontario Rd. NW around 2:45 a.m.

According to a police report, a woman took a photo with a man, causing another man she was with to “become enraged.” The man punched the woman in the head repeatedly and pulled her hair before hitting her with a broken bottle.

The woman was taken to a local hospital with injuries to her hand, leg and elbow, police said.

Authorities did not provide a detailed lookout for the man, who left the scene of the crime in an “unknown direction.”

In other crime news, a burglar smashed a window and stole booze from the Tortilla Coast at 1460 P St. NW early yesterday morning.

Someone heard a burglar alarm and saw a man inside the Mexican eatery around 6 a.m. yesterday, according to a police report. When the witness spotted the man, he ducked behind the counter and out of sight.

Police soon arrived and determined the man used a rock to smash the restaurant’s window. Though he was unsuccessful at breaking into the eatery’s cash register, he ran off with four bottles of champagne, police noted.

Authorities are still looking for the burglar.

Street photo via Google Street View; Tortilla Coast photo courtesy Erik Cox