Rash of retail break-ins across DC causes concern amid holiday shopping season

WASHINGTON – D.C. police are investigating a series of retail thefts across the District. Three of those crimes took place in the heart of Georgetown — where Mayor Muriel Bowser was touting the city’s small businesses Monday. 

It’s one of the key retail districts in the city but it’s also a prime target for criminals who were busy in the early morning hours. On this Cyber Monday, D.C. officials were urging shoppers to patronize local and small businesses, online or in person.

“Today, we’re meeting in Georgetown and let me be clear about this as I say in every meeting, Georgetown is hot,” Bowser said. 

But right across the street from the shops where Mayor Bowser was encouraging people to bring their business this holiday season, three stores had been broken into overnight.

Retail theft is a real problem all year long but it can be especially problematic for businesses during the holidays. 

“For some of these small businesses, the next 23 days is make or break for their businesses,” Stacey Price tells FOX 5. Price opened a shop in D.C. seven years ago.

One Greek restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue had its front windows blown out and money stolen from its safe. The thieves were dressed in black and wielding a sledgehammer. 

Also around the same time, a corner store on Dumbarton Street had its front door smashed in and $500 stolen.

“Certainly anytime we have individuals who victimize one of our retailers we’re all very angry about it,” Bowser said. 

The mayor and D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith are urging businesses and shoppers to be smart and safe — and for business owners to use cameras to help deter and solve crimes.

“We’ve had some significant arrests over the last couple of days with respect to individuals who’ve been coming into this city with sledgehammers and other equipment attempting to break into some of our establishments. We know that this is a pattern of behavior which is why we are posturing ourselves very differently,” Chief Smith said. 

She says they’re adding more than 100 police recruits to help protect some of the city’s retail business districts.

“We had to make some changes in the law around the retail theft and we were able to include that as part of the Secure DC legislation that allows MPD to bring more substantial charges and gives the prosecutors what we need,” Bowser said. 

MPD says they’ve made more than 1,000 retail theft arrests already this year.

Police released an extensive list of robberies that occurred just on Sunday and Monday, all within Northeast and Northwest D.C. Anyone with information on any of the incidents below is asked to contact police immediately. 

At the following locations, the suspects forcibly entered businesses and took property then fled in a vehicle.

• Between Sunday, December 1, 2024, at approximately 9:00 p.m., and Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 7:30 a.m., in the 2300 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 2:07 a.m., in the 1500 block of East Capitol Street, Northeast.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 2:40 a.m., in the 200 block of K Street, Northeast.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 2:42 a.m., in the 200 block of M Street, Northeast.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 3:05 a.m., two establishments in the 1200 block of New Hampshire Avenue, Northwest
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 3:15 a.m., in the 100 block of 13th Street, Southeast.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 3:31 a.m., in the 3100 block of Dumbarton Street, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 3:32 a.m., in the 1300 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 4:31 a.m., in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 6:18 a.m., in the 2400 block of Market Place, Northeast.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 8:29 a.m., in the 1800 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.

At the following locations, the suspects attempted to enter establishments and then fled the scene in a vehicle.

• Between Sunday, December 1, 2024, at 7:00 p.m., and Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 4:45 a.m., in the 3200 block of K Street, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 3:11 a.m., in the 1300 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 3:23 a.m., in the 3000 block of K Street, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 4:25 a.m., in the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 4:30 a.m., in the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 4:35 a.m., in the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest.
• On Monday, December 2, 2024, at approximately 6:00 a.m., in the 1000 block of Brentwood Road, Northeast.