Fort Washington Home Robberies Rise

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. - Home robberies are on the rise in one Prince George's County community. First there was one break in, then another and soon the Fort Washington neighborhood found itself in the middle of a crime spree. Now police and neighbors are stepping in to stop the crime.

In Battersea by the Bay, a quiet neighborhood where home security signs dot the lawns, robberies have always been rare but suddenly it's not so quiet anymore. "I thought by me having an alarm system and that I had the motion lights in the back of the house that they would illuminate so brightly that nobody would break into my house," said Alice Hardy who lives along a wooded cul-de-sac.

Then one night she arrived home from dinner. She noticed the motion lights in the back flickering but thought it was an animal. Just to be sure she checked around inside the house and discovered her basement had been kicked in and the robber had just run out.

"Anytime your house is invaded it's a little frightening for anyone," Hardy said after being victimized.

There were other break ins too. During an emergency meeting neighbors say police reported a surge in home robberies across Prince George's County so far this year. "Another homeowner actually confronted the individual, called the cops, the individual went on and stole the television and ran out before cops arrived," said Mike Hargrove who re-organized the Neighborhood Crime Watch program with help from police.

For some time the Neighborhood Crime Watch in the Battersea on the Bay community was nothing more than a sign. "We need to take some action," Hargrove told everyone. Since the robberies, they now have block captains and block watchers on regular patrol.

"Block watchers are citizens, residents, homeowners who just become more aware of their surroundings more aware of their neighbors habits," he said. Police say the best protection is prevention. Lock your doors and windows and don't leave garage doors open.

Hardy has her own tip: pay attention and know your neighbors. "I went to work and I came home and that was it. I didn't pay any attention. But since this neighborhood break in we all pay attention," she said. Hardy interrupted the robbery. The thief ran away but she's afraid to think what might have been.

"It was very scary because normally I'm at home that time of night," Hardy sometimes thinks.

Since resuming the neighborhood crime watch program, the watch organizer says they haven't had any more robberies. But he cautions it will take time to know for sure that their efforts are truly working.