Info on Idlewylde Assault

On the evening of Wednesday, 9/19 a member of the Idlewylde Community Association was walking home from the meeting when he was physically assaulted by four subjects upon their exiting a vehicle. The incident was documented as a First Degree Assault (a Felony) with the Victim receiving treatment at an area Hospital. Officers and Detectives from PC06 canvassed the neighborhood of the attack searching for the suspects and vehicle. Thursday morning Officers were directed to a suspicious vehicle parked in the 900 block of Overbrook Rd. Upon investigation this vehicle had been reported stolen to Baltimore City PD a few weeks prior to this incident. Detectives observed the parked vehicle and when several subjects approached and entered it they were arrested. At the conclusion of the investigation it was determined that these individuals were the ones responsible for the assault of the victim thus they were charged. The victim was released from the Hospital following treatment and is recovering at home.

Several points we would like you to disseminate to your fellow residents: Anytime you observe criminal or suspected criminal activity please call 9-1-1 so that we can respond and investigate. In all neighborhoods properly lock and secure all property in and around your residence. This includes locking all vehicles and taking all keys out of the vehicle.

Through interviews of residents in the 900 block of Overbrook Rd it was learned that this vehicle had been parked on that street for quite some time, it was not recognized as belonging in the area but no one ever called the Police to have it checked out.  At the time of its reported theft the vehicle was left unlocked with the keys inside thus making it very easy to steal and operate.

If the vehicle owner had properly locked the vehicle and taken the keys out of the vehicle the vehicle would have been much harder to steal, let alone operate at that time or any time after.  Once the vehicle was seen as not belonging on Overbrook Rd had an Officer had been requested at that time a stolen vehicle would have been recovered and thus not used by those responsible for the assault on the evening of 9/19.

Along these same lines as Police we have seen a recent increase in property theft from Motor Vehicles parked in the area but not properly locked and secured. Through reports, investigations and arrests Detectives have determined that groups of individuals are moving through neighborhoods along the York Rd and Loch Raven Blvd corridors trying car doors and every time they find an unlocked vehicle they are going in and removing anything that may have value. They are not forcing open or damaging any vehicles during these thefts thus any vehicles that are securely locked they are not bothering. They are looking for the easiest vehicles to enter and none are more so than those left unlocked or with windows open.

So please get the word out to please secure all property properly, lock your car doors and for that matter all sheds, garages or other out buildings on ones property. 

As Police we cannot guarantee that even by doing these things you will not be the victim of a crime but you at least make your property very hard to enter and remove thus reducing the probability of being a victim.  We all have an active role in reducing crime in Towson and by properly locking and securing all property you are taking a major step to that goal.  Notifying the Police when you see criminal or suspected criminal activity is another big step to that same goal. 

Thank You for your assistance, Sgt Stephen Fink, 2815 PC06 COT