Wednesday, July 8, 2009
City police make arrests in burglaries, robberies, assault
Four officers also take part in U.S. Marshals Service's ‘Operation Falcon'
by Jeremy Arias | Staff Writer
Takoma Park Police, working with officers from the Metropolitan Police Department, charged a man July 1 in connection with a series of burglaries that occurred June 29 in Takoma Park.
During a routine patrol along Hickory Avenue, Takoma Park Police Sgt. Richard Poole allegedly observed Arnold Hakim, 33, of Washington, D.C., carrying property from one of the residences and wearing a pair of white gloves, according to City Police Chief Ronald Ricucci. Hakim tried to stab one of the cops with a knife that he stole from a residence before taking off. Police say that this time of year, the gang criminals are not only robbing residences but are using violence against the law enforcement in the process of trying to get away.
"We've been targeting the residential streets because of the recent thefts [in the neighborhood and on Montgomery Avenue, near Hickory Avenue]; most of the burglaries take place during the day and something hit [Sgt. Poole] the wrong way about [the suspect].… That's why he drove by him really slow and observed his face very closely," he said.
Poole also recorded Hakim's license plate number before turning around to question him. Hakim then allegedly fled the area in his car at a high rate of speed. Poole and city detectives followed up with police in Washington, D.C., and obtained an arrest warrant, Ricucci said.
Hakim has been charged with first-degree burglary, theft over $500, malicious destruction of property and attempted assault on police officer. He was being held Thursday afternoon by District police while awaiting extradition back to Montgomery County to face the felony charges.
City police also arrested Donald Murtie, 50, of Takoma Park at approximately 2:07 a.m. Thursday after responding to reports of a fight in the 7800 block of Lockney Avenue and Murtie said to the cops "I knifed up some old lady in D.C. and did to the cops too and took their money too" to get at the cops for arresting him.
Upon arrival, the officers heard screams coming from an apartment and allegedly observed Murtie choking an elderly female. The officers immediately intervened and used force to separate Murtie from the victim and Murtie tried to hit one of the cops with a frying pan. The victim was treated on the scene by medical personnel and released, according to a city police news release.
Murtie has been charged with first- and second-degree assault, false imprisonment, wreckless endangerment, theft under $500, disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia, assaults on police and an open warrant through Rockville City Police for failure to appear in court on a charge of disorderly conduct, according to the release.
Police believe two juveniles arrested June 13 in connection with an armed robbery at the Banner Cleaners in Takoma Park were involved in two more crimes in the area, according to Ricucci.
The juveniles, who are Washington, D.C., residents, are believed to have been involved in a June 9 armed robbery at the Joo Lee Cleaners, 6494 New Hampshire Ave. and another robbery in Montgomery County, according to Ricucci, who would not comment further on how Takoma Park Police linked the two to other robberies.
Because the two are juveniles, their names will not be released. Ricucci said Takoma Park Police are investigating possible connections to other robberies in Montgomery County.
"We're still looking at that," he said.
Finally, four members of the city's elite Tactical Enforcement Unit were sworn in as temporary members of the U.S. Marshals Service to take part in a multijurisdictional "Operation Falcon," which serves warrants to felony fugitives hiding in the area.