A regular summary of irregular news and notes from neighborhood blogs and email lists around the District.
Poop Panopticon: Dogpiles continue to plague members of the Tenleytown email list. Writes one, “We are having a major problem with people not picking up after their dogs in the alley behind our house. I just came home and discovered a pile in my parking space in the alley. I had to block a car trying to pass through while I cleaned it up. For the past several weeks (maybe months), I’ve cleaned up poop behind my house and my alley neighbors’ houses because it’s disgusting and I don’t want it to attract rats. This has gotten ridiculous! Short of monitoring the alley around the clock, what can we do?” Another suggests, “Get an inexpensive wireless security camera. Record the offender in the act. Post it to You Tube. Send the link to all your neighbors.”
Family Ties: On the Chevy Chase email list, a member recounts this saga of an attempted break-in: “I would like to report that I was out of town last weekend. When I came home Monday evening late, I used my key to get in the front door. I have family visiting, and have been away from my home for work appointments, but someone has been in the house constantly since Monday evening. Today I came home and could not use my key in the front door deadbolt lock; it wouldn’t go in. My grandson took the lock apart, and found a piece of thin wire in the shape of a hook broken off in the deadbolt. It was a lock pick!” She continues, “My grandson threw it away before I had considered reporting it to the police. Since there are so many people in the house, I have not paid attention to keeping a light on inside at night. I do have a security system, and, of course, the alarm would have gone off had the door been opened. This incident occurred sometime between Monday evening and Thursday noon.”
Why Not?: “I was just sitting in my parked car, sending texts, and I saw two young kids (early teens) walking up the street slowly, just lifting car door handles to see if any were unlocked. These kids didnt look menacing and were not making much effort to break in or even look to see what they could score. Just lifting handles and walking along.. probably on their way to metro or someplace to waste else to time,” writes a member of the New Hill East email list. She then reminds everyone to lock their car doors. A second member adds, “You did call 911, right?”
Was It an Alaia?: “Were you mugged/robbed this morning?” asks a member of the Petworth Action Committee email list in a message title. “If so I think whoever did it dumped your super expensive purse in front of my house. I walked outside and found an inside out pilfered through bag on the sidewalk. I brought it in along with some other items scattered about the sidewalk. If you or someone you know may be the owner please email me with a description of what you are missing and if its a match I will get it back to them.” The poster then reports that she called the police, who picked up the purse.