Mt. Airy Police Briefs

Posted:  February 7, 2011

Crime Report

If you have been the victim of a crime and would like information or services, call Northwest Victim Services, 6301 Germantown Avenue, at 215-438-4410. Their services are free.

West Mt. Airy Neighbors requests that all crimes committed in Mt. Airy be reported to WMAN at 215-438-6022.

The following crimes were reported in Mt. Airy from January 17, 2011 to January 30, 2011.

THEFT FROM AUTO, ATTEMPTED AUTO THEFT

January 18: 6600 block Blakemore St. – tag taken off 1998 Nissan.

January 24: 300 block Wellesley St. – front passenger window broken on 2003 Audi. Coach bag, wallet, credit cards and ID taken.

January 24: 6500 block Lincoln Dr. – driver’s side window broken on 2005 Toyota. GPS system taken.

January 24: 600 block Glen Echo Rd. – front window broken on Subaru Outback. Cellphone taken.

January 24: 7200 block Boyer St. – passenger window broken on Mazda. Wallet with ID and credit cards taken.

January 24: 200 block W. Mt. Airy Ave. – driver’s side window broken on Honda Accord. GPS system taken.

January 30: 6300 block Lenson St. – tag taken off Geo Prism.

STOLEN AUTO

January 19: 300 block Vernon Rd. – 2000 black Dodge Durango taken.

BURGLARY

January 18: 6400 block Belfield Ave. – home entered by breaking front window. TV, games, comforter taken.

January 22: 400 block E. Gowen Ave. – residence entered by forcing rear door. Nintendo Wii, jewelry, DVDs, camera taken.

January 25: 400 block E. Durham St. – residence entered through dining room window. Laptop taken.

January 26: 200 block E. Phil-Ellena St. – front door to residence kicked in, nothing apparently taken.

January 27: 6300 block Germantown Ave. – owner of store heard alarm go off, check store and allegedly saw offender exiting with bin of merchandise. Alleged offender stopped by police and ID’d, property recovered.

THEFT

January 22: unit block W. Duval St. – handgun taken from bedroom cabinet.

January 25: unit block Roumfort Rd. – Complainant stated package was left at wrong address.  Package left outside for complainant, it was gone when she returned.

January 26: 700 E. Sharpnack St. – cellphone taken from complainant’s pocket by unknown person.

January 30: 6800 block Stenton Ave. – complainant’s room entered. TV, playstation, stroller, baby items taken.

ROBBERY

January 29: 6300 block Stenton Ave., 9:30 a.m. – clerk at store confronted by man with hose who demanded money and attempted to spray clerk with gasoline. Complainant fled to rear of store, offender fled without taking money.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

January 23: 200 block E. Hortter St. – complainant stated that alleged offender came into his house, pointed handgun at him, demanded he leave house.

Be On Guard Against Burglary

The 14th Police District has issued the following guidelines for avoiding burglary.

Most burglaries are committed by opportunist thieves. In two out of ten burglaries they don’t even have to use force - they get in through an open door or window.

Look at your home through the burglar’s eyes - are there places where they could break in unseen? Have you fitted strong locks on your doors and windows? Would they have to make a lot of noise by breaking glass?

Look at your construction site or house under renovation through the burglar’s eyes -  is it unsecured and full of expensive tools, ideal for breaking into the rest of the house and removing anything of value?

Reduce the risk of burglary happening to you by making sure you’ve taken these simple precautions:

Secure all Wndows: Easily visible locks may deter some thieves, because a window lock forces the thief to break the glass and risk attracting attention. Lock away any ladders or other portable items that could be used to reach upper windows. If your house is going to be left empty, make sure all windows and doors are closed and locked and remember to set the burglar alarm.

Secure all Doors: If your front and back doors are not secure, neither is your home. Make sure the doors and frames are strong and in good condition. Use a deadlock with a key, so a thief can’t smash a nearby panel to open the door from the inside; if the thief gets into the property through a window they can’t carry your property out through the door.

Good Lighting: Good lighting can deter a thief. Some exterior lights have an infra-red sensor that switches the light on for a few moments when it detects something in its range.

Burglar Alarms: Visible burglar alarms make burglars think twice.

Reward Offered in 2009 Murder

On March 27, 2009 at approximately 9:20 a.m., the body of Najee Purnell was found in the Delaware River near Delaware Avenue and Linden Street. Purnell had been reported missing on March 1 after he called his girlfriend telling her that he was leaving his place of work at the Cedarbrook Plaza Pathmark, located at Easton Road and Cheltenham Avenue. However, he never made it home.

The Citizens Crime Commission is administering a $5,000 reward for any information concerning foul play that resulted in the death of Najee Purnell.

Anyone with any information regarding the disappearance of Najee Purnell, please call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS. Callers’ anonymity is protected.

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