BETHESDA / NW DC

CRIME WAVE UPDATE

Ski Mask Gang Stays Underground Yet

Another Week; Lights On or Off on Westbard?

Another fairly uneventful week in the ongoing search for the Ski Mask Gang. First, Montgomery County Police confirmed that the Willard Avenue robbery last week does not fit the masked trio. There was only one robber, and he is identified as a white male. So there is a lone robber out there, too, now.

Second, masked robbers were in the news in western Montgomery County. A white truck with 2 masked armed robbers has rammed vehicles to simulate an accident, then robbed the victim when he or she gets out to exchange information. MCPD reminds you to remain in your vehicle and call police if you are involved in a suspicious "accident" like this.

No relevant crimes in the MCPD report. The following crimes were reported by SpotCrime:

Assault, 5600 block of Wisconsin Ave./Somerset Terrace, Chevy Chase Village, 4/16/12

- This, like the Willard Ave. incident, is in the Ski Mask Gang's territory. They last struck in Montgomery County just south of there on Wisconsin in February. But not enough information here to implicate the SMG.

Robbery, 36th St. and Porter St. NW DC, 4/15/12.

- Kind of far from Friendship Heights, Tenleytown and Van Ness. No mention of guns, masks or multiple assailants. Verdict: Not the SMG.

There were a couple of robberies on Benton St. NW earlier this week; the only suspect is listed as a 60 year old man. Doesn't exactly sound like the SMG.

The search continues!

Meanwhile, in the ongoing saga of the Westwood Shopping Center, owner Capital Properties has now turned all of the parking lot lights back on. They did this one other time during the period since February during which large portions of the lot have been left dark at night. And then they went off again. So we can't be sure if CP will leave them on. But they can be sure I will keep readers posted if they take the irresponsible action of turning them off again! It has been bad public relations for Capital Properties to put shoppers at risk by turning off the lights where Park Bethesda and Westbard Mews residents walk over to the Giant and Rite Aid.