“I am just frustrated that there seems to be no communication regarding the need to be a little more vigilant”

“Dear PoPville,

Tuesday around 6:30p in the area of New Jersey, First St. SE and I St. SE, a young, African-American female with a mask attempted to rob two females. I know one of the victims was asked for her phone (she had it out), but she wouldn’t give it up. MPD caught the robber under the 395 overpass (the bridge on New Jersey Ave). I learned of this information as my boyfriend (who also lives nearby) works on New Jersey and watched one of the robberies. He’s also friendly with the local police, who informed him that the woman was captured. I confirmed it on MPD’s twitter feed.

I understand this is a low level crime with a good outcome, but my frustration comes from the fact that we often have robberies or worse. My boyfriend was assaulted outside of the Nats Park entrance around 4pm one Monday afternoon a few months ago, when a group of males decided to try and play “knock-out” (because there was no Nats game that day, so no people in that area (this is outside of the Bullpen, before the Navy Yard metro)). My boyfriend called 911 (the police station is a 1/4 mi away) and after putting him on hold and then asking him repeatedly where he was, they told him to stand on the corner of M and Half St. He waited 20 min and they never came. A local police officer, when he heard of what happened, said that he wasn’t surprised as groups had been trying to play knock out in our area for weeks. We’ve had multiple robberies in the garages of the Bozzuto buildings (909 New Jersey, 100 Capitol Yards, 70 Capitol Yards) – one day (a few months ago) when another robbery occurred, I tried to post on the Community Web Board to alert the residents. Bozzuto reviews every potential post, and they refused to post mine (yet I get multiple emails a day from residents asking me to babysit their dog).

I lived in Eastern Market prior to moving down to Navy Yard, so I’m not surprised that there’s local crime, nor am I saying that the issues in Navy Yard are greater than another area. I am just frustrated that there seems to be no communication regarding the need to be a little more vigilant.”