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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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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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[deleted] OP t1_j6j0oxo wrote

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diaymujer t1_j6jbjej wrote

What do you do after finding out who he is? If MPD isn’t following up now, I doubt that changes if you can tell them his name.

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GEV46 t1_j6jrg4v wrote

I can tell you, they dont.

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[deleted] OP t1_j6jcsn0 wrote

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diaymujer t1_j6jdt2o wrote

Cool cool cool. Vigilante justice always works out great.

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[deleted] OP t1_j6jfu1y wrote

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puttinonthefoil t1_j6jg6b6 wrote

I think people are concerned that pursuing this line of action is far more likely to result in you getting hurt, and not whatever justice you think you’ll get.

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diaymujer t1_j6jhber wrote

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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jhnnt wrote

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diaymujer t1_j6jludq wrote

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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jmhp5 wrote

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diaymujer t1_j6jms1n wrote

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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jnaf0 wrote

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diaymujer t1_j6jsd4o wrote

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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LoganSquire t1_j6jw9sn wrote

I’m beginning to see why the cops don’t want to deal with him

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88138813 t1_j6j20iv wrote

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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PsychologicalItem437 t1_j6jo3td wrote

Try putting in a FOIA request to dc dot. It is free. Will probably take some time and you never know what you will get.

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[deleted] OP t1_j6jrufa wrote

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mulligansteak t1_j6jub9m wrote

Was it a WMATA bus or a circulator? If it was a wmata bus, the DC Government has nothing to do with it. If it was WMATA, you’ll need a subpoena.

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MobiusAurelius t1_j6kdbbm wrote

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.

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Pipes_of_Pan t1_j6ldeug wrote

Do you at least understand why these entities don’t just hand out specific footage to anyone who wants to track someone else?

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[deleted] OP t1_j6lkfmq wrote

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Pipes_of_Pan t1_j6ll183 wrote

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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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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jez5q wrote

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Zwillium t1_j6jhmol wrote

I'm curious the outcome of your FOIA request, would you mind posting the update?

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[deleted] OP t1_j6jhual wrote

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Zwillium t1_j6ji75b wrote

Yeah, that's what I expect, but I'm still interested.

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[deleted] OP t1_j6jixfr wrote

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GauntletofThonos t1_j6k7y6y wrote

Is it a DC circulator bus or a Metro bus? Metro bus is not run by DC so that 90 day rule might not exist.

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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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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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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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jnjox wrote

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honorspren000 t1_j6jwa2g wrote

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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ladebaha t1_j6jtnfa wrote

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.

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honorspren000 t1_j6jx4gm wrote

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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[deleted] OP t1_j6juxdw wrote

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ladebaha t1_j6jy17w wrote

I'm a Black woman in America with five nephews and four uncles. I'm acutely aware of what has happened and happens to people like me. Thanks 😊

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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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jeqvv wrote

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EmbersDC t1_j6k6eka wrote

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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Formergr t1_j6k8u47 wrote

> Is he breaking into individual units or just the lobby so far?

You didn't answer this question.

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DeliMcPickles t1_j6knwu7 wrote

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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EmbersDC t1_j6k68fh wrote

>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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scotch_please t1_j6k7kbl wrote

> Bear spray is illegal in DC

So is protecting your home and family from an intruder when the police decline to help. What's your point?

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shockinglyshocked t1_j6lsqmo wrote

But then if there are no cameras who to say suspect didn't accidently spray himself??

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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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DistrictGrow t1_j6lbq2h wrote

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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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_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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beetnemesis t1_j6jlv75 wrote

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

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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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jednorog t1_j6l9rdj wrote

It sounds like OP is asking about retrieving WMATA bus footage. WMATA may not be covered under DC's FOIA.

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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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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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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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jh25r wrote

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veloharris t1_j6ji1yl wrote

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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[deleted] OP t1_j6jirdc wrote

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veloharris t1_j6jjh1g wrote

Can you hire security for this specific time and day, perhaps a firm that the police have a relationship with?

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Zwicker101 t1_j6jq490 wrote

Do you live in an apartment complex? If so, have you told your landlord about this?

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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.)

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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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[deleted] OP t1_j6lq5yq wrote

Might be hard….

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Nick_hamlin t1_j6jr060 wrote

How do you know he’s a dangerous criminal?

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smacks23 t1_j6k887y wrote

How would you define someone who repeatedly breaks into somewhere?

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