Reader Reminders to Stay and Alert

Photo by PoPville flickr user Vileinist

“Dear PoPville,

I was walking north on 14th between R and S St, NW tonight [Wed.] around 9:30 PM. A girl was walking towards me, and behind her were two boys, flanking her on either side but at a slight distance. They both wore hooded black sweatshirts, and one had what looked like a black turtleneck pulled up to his nose. Both were African-American and could not have been more than 13 years old. They started to increase their pace, but then they noticed me, and kept walking. I slowed down, silently checked in with the girl, who switched her direction and asked if she could walk with me. The two boys followed us for a block before disappearing. Definitely strange and unsettling, especially because it was right on 14th St, which is well lit and certainly not desolate on a weekday evening. She called 911 and within two minutes I saw police cars heading in that direction.”

and

“Dear PoPville,

I was sitting on the Blue line this morning [Wed.] heading downtown from Potomac Ave when I witnessed an iPad snatch and grab. At a stop when a train was across the platform (I think Fed Center SW but I was too startled to pay attention), a young kid got out of his seat and slapped an iPad out of a woman’s hands who was sitting a couple rows ahead of him. He then picked it up and ran across the platform to the other train. Someone by the door grabbed his sweatshirt, but he got away. It all happened very fast and right before the doors closed.

This isn’t news to anyone, and I think there are still ads on the metro about protecting your stuff, but people should be really careful, especially when sitting on the aisle. It was all too easy for him to get the iPad out of her hands, and they’re a lot harder to hold onto than than a smartphone.

He amusingly dropped an iPod or a smartphone which was given to the victim. Hopefully the cops should be able to figure out something from that so later we can hear about the dumb thief who left identifying details at the scene.”