Dear PoPville – Suspicious Harvard Street Character

Photo by PoPville flickr user J Y W Harvard St, NW

“Dear PoPville,

A few times each week when I’m walking home from work down (around 8:00 or 9:00) the 1600 block of Harvard Street downhill toward the zoo, I see a man casually strolling down the street in the bike lane. He’s always wearing a backpack, and is never walking on the sidewalk. I wouldn’t think anything of this, except for the fact that he is glancing inside of every car he passes. I admit, I do this when I’m running down the street, but this guy really looks like he’s checking out the goods in each to either break into later in the night or right then. I haven’t thought too much of it recently, but last night, I saw the man again. He was walking on the right side of Harvard in the bike lane toward the zoo. Another guy was leaning on his car and smoking a cigarette on the same side of the street. When the grifter saw the guy smoking against the car, our potential suspect quickly switched to the other side of the street and continued down.

Now, I’m kind of at a spot where I don’t know what to do. Clearly, I’ve never seen him do anything wrong, and he’s never attempted to break in or even stop for further inspection. He is just walking, after all, but it seems like this is highly suspcious, especially considering how many car windows you see blasted in on Harvard.

Should I call the police? Or the non-emergency number? I don’t necessarily want to talk to the guy, but I’m reasonably sure the cops won’t care since nothing has actually happened. Kind of at a loss here. Anyone else seen this guy or have advice about what to do?”