Crime Alerts

POSSIBLE SCAM

BE AWARE OF PEOPLE SEEKING DONATIONS BY PHONE AND IN PERSON

The Chevy Chase Village Police wants to remind residents to ensure they verify phone and door-to-door solicitors of donations purporting to be collecting for charitable organizations. Recently, the Chevy Chase Village Police have received complaints from residents concerning solicitors who implied they have an association with the Village Police or other police agencies. Residents are receiving calls from the Police Protective Fund seeking donations.

The Chevy Chase Village Police offers these tips related to phone and in-person solicitations for charitable donations:

• Whether in-person or by phone be aware of solicitors using high pressure tactics or solicitors who prey upon your sympathies to get an immediate donation
• Never make arrangements to have someone pick up money from your home
• Be aware that while your caller ID may show a local number many phone solicitors are actually calling from across the state or even out-of-state
• Be suspicious when asked for “cash” only donations

Always verify the name of the organization to include their address, phone number and the identity of the caller or the person at your door step

At your convenience research the charity online before you make a decision to donate

Never assume the friendly voice belongs to a trustworthy caller

Please click here to view a Montgomery County Press release from 2006 concerning the solicitation activities of the Police Protective Fund.

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March 2, 2010

CRIME ALERT

The Montgomery County Code Enforcement Personnel, Montgomery County Police and the DEA (Drug Enforcement Admin) have the following alert for residents of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Area to be on the look out for three groups of men claiming to be tree workers and home repair workers—they are scammers who are heavily targeting our IMMEDIATE area (and I do mean immediate!). They also claim to do extermination work. They are going door to door and are targeting our area because of our general wealth.

They have hit several homeowners for very large sums of money-cash- they begin the work and then disappear. Homeowners of all ages, not just the elderly, have been the subject of this rip-off.

The authorities believe the groups are out of Culpepper, Va. They drive Ford and Chevy Pick-up Trucks with racks on the back made of wood. They believe one of the trucks has a sign on the door that says Meadow Tree and Lawn Service. The DEA believe that a drug making lab is somehow associated with these individuals.

The police are asking that if you see a group meeting this description to please call them 301-279-8000 (non-emergency) or 911 if the situation lends itself to immediate police response. Get a license number if you can.

Thank you for your attention. Remember to only employ reputable and recommended workers and do not give them cash up front. Continue to contact the Chevy Chase Village Communications Center 301-654-7300 to report anything suspicious.

January 6, 2010

VEHICLE BREAK-INS

STOLEN VEHICLE

Early this morning Village Police took 8 vehicle break-in reports. All the vehicles were unlocked; 3 were parked in driveways and 5 were parked on the street. Six vehicles were ransacked but nothing taken and the remaining two vehicles had petty cash removed from inside the vehicles. The vehicle break-ins occurred on the 1^st unit block of East Irving Street. And the 1^st unit block thru the 100 block of East Kirke Street.

The stolen vehicle was taken from the 6000 block of Western Avenue. The vehicle was parked in the driveway unlocked, with the keys in the center console.

The above incidents occurred between 10 PM on January 5^th and 7 AM on January 6^th.

Village Police ask that you lock your vehicles and remove anything of value from them. Contact the Village Communications Center (301) 654-7300 to report anything suspicious.  

November 5, 2009

Today, between 1:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., a home in the first unit block of Oxford Street was burglarized. The residents and older children were home at the time. Entry was made by climbing through a ground level unlocked window. The home is alarmed but the system was not activated.

Once inside, the suspect(s) removed a ladies purse and its contents; electronic gaming systems, several movie DVDs, a laptop, and cell phone. The keys to the victim's Range Rover SUV were also taken. The suspect(s) stole the Range Rover and made good their escape. The Range Rover was parked on the street in front of the home.

A neighborhood canvass was conducted that yielded no additional information. There are no descriptions of the suspect(s).

The Range Rover is dark blue in color with Maryland Tags.

Please remember to activate your alarm system when you go to bed at night. Continue to contact the Chevy Chase Village Communications Center 301-654-7300 to report anything suspicious.

July 2, 2009

Between 06-22-09 and 06-24-09 Chevy Chase Village Police investigated twenty-one vehicle break-ins throughout the Village. Of the twenty-one vehicles broken into, 10 were parked on the street and 11 were parked in the driveway. Items stolen were GPS units, CD players, CDs, cell phones and lots of loose change. The thefts happened in the late evening and early morning hours. Village Officer Willie Hearn on routine patrol discovered a vehicle with its interior light on and his investigation revealed that the vehicle was entered and various items removed.

The following streets/driveways were targeted: Hesketh Street, Grove Street, Cedar Parkway, Grafton Street, West Irving Street, East Lenox Street, West Lenox Street, Montgomery Street and Center Street.

The Chevy Chase Village Police recommend that residents lock their vehicles and utilize their vehicle alarm systems; consider installing photo-sensitive motion detectors that will illuminate their driveways/vehicles when someone passes by; and continue to report any suspicious activity to the Village Communications Center at 301-654-7300.