Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz joined County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Police Chief Robert Contee III to discuss a rise in carjackings in both jurisdictions, specifically carjackings committed by juvenile suspects.
Prince George’s County and the District of Columbia will enhance joint crime-fighting efforts along the border and increase intelligence sharing.
So far in 2022, there have been 64 reported carjackings in Prince George’s County with five adult arrests and 14 juvenile arrests. These arrests are in addition to the 86 juvenile arrests in 2021.
Here is a breakdown of carjacking statistics and arrests since 2019:
2022
- Total cases reported: 393
- Adult arrests: 66
- Juvenile arrests: 86
2021
- Total cases reported: 263
- Adult arrests: 92
- Juvenile arrests: 77
2019
- Total cases reported: 93
- Adult arrests: 22
- Juvenile arrests: 21
“The Prince George’s County Police Department is committed to an even stronger working relationship with our law enforcement partners at the Metropolitan Police Department. We know that criminals often commit crimes in one jurisdiction, for example here in the county, and then immediately cross over the border into DC. Criminals know no borders. The growing number of juveniles committing these violent offenses cannot continue. Our communities deserve to be safe and the juveniles deserve a brighter future. We must hold juveniles accountable for their actions and ensure they are getting the services needed as well,” said Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz.
“We have seen a troubling increase in carjackings across our region, driven in large part by juveniles,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “Our ecosystem is damaged, and while we are doing everything we can to resolve this issue, it cannot be solved by government and police departments alone. We need our community and families to step up and join us by wrapping their arms around these kids, because they are the future of our community.”
In Prince George’s County, in order to tackle the growing number of carjackings, Chief Aziz recently established a Carjacking Interdiction Unit (CIU) which centralizes carjacking investigations with detectives assigned solely to carjacking cases. Since it launched on September 26, 2021, the CIU has received 204 cases and made 92 arrests. Of those arrests, 29 are adults and 63 are juveniles.
“Chief Aziz’s creation of the Carjacking Interdiction Unit is a clear signal that the PGPD is committed to stopping the growing trend of carjackings in the county. In a majority of our cases with juveniles, we are dealing with repeat offenders. Several of the juveniles have been arrested previously for robbery, carjacking and possession of firearms. The message out on the street is clear. We have heard directly from juveniles who have told us “nothing is going to happen to me”. The arrest however, is only the first step in justice and accountability,” said Major Sunny Mrotek, Commander of the Carjacking Interdiction Unit.
One of the most recent carjackings in the county was captured on a home surveillance system. On January 10, 2022, at approximately 5:25 pm, two victims had just arrived to their Temple Hills home when two suspects approached them on their front porch. At least one of those suspects had a weapon. The suspects demanded the victims’ keys and other personal belongings and then stole their vehicle parked in front of their home. The victims were not injured.
In November 2020, the PGPD arrested two juvenile suspects in connection with another carjacking caught on a home surveillance system in Lanham. In the video, one suspect runs up to two victims who are outside. The suspect is holding an assault rifle, while the other suspect is holding a handgun and demands the ATV which belonged to one of the victims. On December 5, 2021, and January 19, 2022, both of those juvenile suspects arrested for the 2020 case were arrested again for separate armed carjackings in the county.
One year ago, Mayor Bowser and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a carjacking task force comprised of a team of detectives specialized in solving robberies and other violent crime to address the dramatic increase in carjacking, auto theft, and unauthorized use of vehicle offenses across the District of Columbia. Today, Chief Contee announced that he is expanding the number of detectives assigned to the carjacking task force.
In collaboration with the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD), MPD is implementing a cross border initiative where officers from both jurisdictions will work together to address carjackings, robberies and violent crime. Both communities experience similar issues related to crime and are identifying individuals, many of which are juveniles, committing offenses across jurisdictions.
“We have seen a troubling increase in carjackings across our region, driven in large part by juveniles,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “Our ecosystem is damaged, and while we are doing everything we can to resolve this issue, it cannot be solved by government and police departments alone. We need our community and families to step up and join us by wrapping their arms around these kids, because they are the future of our community.”
MPD and PGPD will have resources embedded within each department to share information about crimes. The task force is also charged with pinpointing strategies to increase accountability for those responsible for committing violent crimes in the District.
“Today is an opportunity for the community ecosystem to address a serious matter that is affecting all neighborhoods in the District and PG County,” said DC Police Chief Contee. “My hope with the increased collaboration, communication and intelligence sharing with our PGPD counterparts is to hold these offenders accountable and have a noticeable, measurable impact on this issue.”
“Prince George’s County and Washington, DC, share more than just a border; we share a joint future, a collaborative mindset, and a better and safer place where we live, work and play,” said PG County Police Chief Malik Aziz. “The communication between our agencies is around the clock and effective, and our carjacking unit would not be closing as many cases without a strong relationship with our partners at MPD.”
In 2020, MPD arrested 34 adults and 59 juveniles and in 2021, 50 adults and 101 juveniles were arrested for carjacking offenses in the District. As of February 1, 2022 there have been 19 total arrests for carjacking offenses, 14 which were juveniles. Washington, DC, along with other major cities around the nation, is experiencing an increase in carjacking, auto theft, and unauthorized use of vehicle offenses in communities.
Below are ways that drivers can avoid becoming a target of these crimes:
- Always lock your car
- Never leave your vehicle idling/running unattended – even if your key fob is on you, someone can still drive off with your car until it stops or gas runs out
- Always keep track of your keys, never leave them inside the vehicle
- Do not leave children unattended inside your vehicle
- Park in a safe spot
- Stay alert and aware of your surroundings
- If you are a victim of a crime, report it immediately by calling 911
