http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute en-us Reader-submitted tips http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2111341 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 hey! You should look into the musical Spring Awakening coming to the Kennedy Center next week. The cast is really great! http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2111261 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Hello, I wanted to alert you to what the police activity was about this afternoon around 2:45 p.m. in the Target Mall in Columbia Heights. I caught a guy opening lockers with bolt cutters in the men’s lockerroom. I had seen him when I was changing and he was looking very shifty and had bolt cutters. The staff there has a pair in case people can’t open their locks, but in this case there was no staff member present. After locking my stuff in a locker with my padlock, I went out and stretched for a few minutes. I couldn’t get the weirdness of the guy out of my mind so I decided to go back and get my wallet and phone to put in the little key lockers they have near the refreshment stand. When I went back the man was still there and fiddling with his black messenger bag. I immediately noticed that my lock was no longer on the locker and had been replaced with another one. I stopped the guy and said, “Hey you took things from lockers, didn’t you. Let me look in your bag.” He said no. Then he told me to leave him alone and stop bothering him. Then I grabbed at the bag, and he pushed me away and there was a scuffle. Something fell out of his bag and the guy seemed really worried. He pushed me away and ran off. I told the towel attendant to stop him, and he did nothing. I chased the thief as he was leaving and shouted, “This man is a thief, he has stolen people’s wallets from the locker room.” Again the WSC staff couldn’t have been more bored. The young woman at the reception desk let him go out. I chased him out, still calling “THIEF” and an off-duty metro policeman, bless his heart, chased the guy, who by this time was running. I went to the landing to shout to the security guy at the front door of the mall, “Stop that man in the white shirt and black pants, and demand to look in his bag. He has robbed me and others.” The security person saw who I was referring to but did nothing. The thief ran out the door. Fortunately the off duty Metro transit cop chased after him and tackled him to the ground, which I did not see or know about for a while. I was busy trying to find out who the person was, i.e. if his ID had been checked (of course it hadn’t) on entering. I went out trying to find head or tail of the guy but of course he was nowhere to be found. Later the off-duty policeman came and said they’d caught him and that he was in custody, and that they’d found two wallets (later brought down to one: mine) and a pair of bolt cutters in his possession. At that point I realized that during the scuffle in the lockerroom had dropped the bag containing my computer and phone. Fortunately it was still where he had dropped it. What I found most appalling was the fact that a) WSC staff are not doing ID checks on people going into the lockerrooms or entering the gym b) the staff seemed a little blase about the incident, and seemed to think this was an all’s well that end’s well affair c) the supposed “Security” people at the door of the mall are just there for decoration. I gave 30 seconds advance notice, shouting, of the thief’s approach, and security did everything but hold the door for him d) off-duty cops can be very brave and e) the MPD’s protocol for taking notes and filing reports appears, for now, efficient. The thief is to be charged with Theft (1) “if the case goes forward.” Anyway, sorry if this is too much information but I thought your readers might want an explanation of what went down, particularly since I was yelling Thief! from the landing. happy July 4. Todd Pierce http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2110641 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Apple store robbery video posted by Arlington PD at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IPbphLaHWI http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2106361 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 shooting at the apple clarendon store 1/2 hr ago. back room. one employee shot. clarendon market commons shut down. police helicopters and news are on the scene. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2104851 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Please look into the eviction of Peter Bis from his long standing spot on the sidewalk near the Exxon at 2nd and Mass NE. Background: Peter is homeless and has lived on that corner for years; he even does landscaping for the gas station. He has a blog that rants conspiracy (was even interviewed by NPR), but he is a welcoming figure in the neighborhood. Today I saw a city “eviction” notice for his stuff that he has always kept on the sidewalk. Very troubling. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2099021 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2098701 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 I took a walk on my lunch in Dupont and the two Real World cast members rolled up to the house with luggage in tow. They have officially arrived. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2098571 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 have you seen the U Street NW upgrade site? it’s pretty lacking in community info. here’s a summary: D.C.’s U Street upgrade project site lacks Web2.0-ness http://tinyurl.com/nbryzu http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2096481 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Addendum to earlier message re: possible lockdown on an office building on 5th between E and F. Looking out the window the intersection of F and 5th is closed off onto 5th (traffic is continuing in the other three directions) and there are police cars parked in the intersection. Can’t tell how far down 5th is shut down. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2096391 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Hey DCist, you may have a better idea of what’s going on than I do - but I’m in an office building on 5th between E and F, and we were just told the building “may or may not” be locked down - people aren’t being allowed in, and it’s unclear if we can leave. Regardless, there are police outside, and someone said they saw them putting up crime tape (unfortunately I can’t confirm from my window). http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2094011 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Let’s bring American made Streetcars to DC! Thinking About DC - USA-made Streetcars http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2093661 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Welcome to Borderstan, Kal Penn http://borderstan.com/2009/07/01/welcome-to-borderstan-kal-penn/ http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2079211 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Why are all of the metro lines moving slowly since the collision? The Orange Line was extremely slow headed from Metro Center to Vienna. My first train is Brookland to Metro Center, which as we all know is experiencing delays. I saw the 7-minute wait for the Red Line at Metro Center headed to Glemont and instantly got out of the metro and began walking from 11th and G St exit. Craziness! Federal Government, give the DC Metro funding to replace all of the obsolete trains. DC Metro is the lifeline of the city! http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2073691 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 NextBus back up! http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2069561 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 A tree just fell and hit a woman at the courtyard between the two buildings of National Geographic. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2064891 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Disruption system-wide. Until further notice, all trains are stopping when the front of the train reaches the end of the platform. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2063951 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Taylor Gourmet Deli coming to 5th and K NW http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2058051 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Billy Mays, star pitchman, dead at 50 http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2052371 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 editor of Alexandria blog localKicks steals photo without crediting photographer then erases comments pointing out his mistake http://www.localkicks.com/community/news/EMILYS_POST_Reese_Witherspoon_Comes_to_Town http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2049611 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Whats going on in chinatown? It seems that every firetruck is parked on 5th street and I hear bagpipes playing. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2048311 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Something appears to be on fire on embassy row. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2044821 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Michael Jackson is dead at 50 http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2041861 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 NextBus up and running at the pentagon bus depot yesterday. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2037531 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Rockville: viable.net - was raided by the FBI this morning - about 50 FBI people came in and ashut the company down - for today at least the FCC pays Viable a fortune for doing deaf people phone calls http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2035671 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Does anyone know what happened on the corner of 17th and P around 12:30 a.m.? I saw a taxi driver pull his car over to the side of the road - it had flat tires and a missing grill. People were yelling at him so I got the impression he almost hit someone. After another taxi pulled over, and then refused to help this taxi driver - he ran away from the crowd yelling at him and left his taxi unlocked and windows open. The police arrived a few minutes later. What happened??? http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2035641 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 No Flikr Account : ( From last night’s game Assuming this is how to apply for pic of the day http://picasaweb.google.com/andrewnations/Favorites#5351229078828593778 http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2034741 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 michelle obama, sasha and maliah were at Beyonce concert at Verizon center. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2028491 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 owen wilson is sitting at Leopold’s cafe in cady’s alley in georgetown. just thought youd like to know. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2005001 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Anyone hear some really loud helicopters hovering around Friendship Heights last night around 12:30 or so? http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#2001001 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiFbC5oGrXg Dextro Triathlon bike course filmed from handlebars http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#1989881 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Crazy busy traffic, both pedestrian and car at 20th and R Streets. Real World has taken over the sidewalks. Avoid if at all possible. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#1989491 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Spotted a delivery to the Real World house this morning from Champion Billiards & Bar Stools. I believe every RW house is required to have a pool table, along with several hookups on said table. http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#1985961 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Today is Juneteenth http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#1985621 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Live Nation being sued by operator of Merriweather http://www.Dcist.com/labs/contribute/#1981691 Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:16:22 -0500 Shooting in Columbia Heights at 14th/Irving: images/a bit more of the story captured by local DCFD blogger. www.raisingladders.com