A 22-year-old D.C. man was arrested last Friday in connection with a string of robberies and thefts targeting people across Northwest D.C., police said. Authorities say they have tied the suspect to three incidents over a two-week stretch in February, where victims reported being grabbed, shoved or distracted while phones and other belongings were taken.
How police say the robberies went down
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the first reported robbery unfolded early on Feb. 8 in the 1200 block of 18th Street NW. A vehicle pulled up next to a person waiting for an Uber, a suspect forced the victim into the car, assaulted them and took their property, then pushed the victim out near 20th and M streets, police said.
Officers say the second incident happened on Feb. 13 in the 1200 block of 22nd Street NW, where suspects allegedly snatched a phone and shoved the victim when they tried to resist. On Feb. 21, police say suspects asked to use a victim's phone in the 1200 block of 18th Street NW, then took off with the device.
On Friday, officers arrested 22-year-old Alex Girma of Northwest D.C. pursuant to a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant. The cases remain under investigation, and police are asking anyone with information to call (202) 727-9099 or text tips to 50411.
Victims, suspects and stolen items
An $8,000 Cartier watch was among the items stolen in one of the robberies, according to WJLA. That outlet reports that victims were targeted while they were waiting for rides or otherwise distracted, and that multiple suspects were involved. Police have not publicly announced any additional arrests and say information on recovered property will be released if and when it becomes available.
Where the cases stand and how police track trends
Police say charges were filed following the arrest and that detectives will forward evidence to prosecutors as the investigations move ahead. Robbery and snatch-theft patterns are tracked in MPD’s public dashboards, which provide monthly counts for robberies and carjackings and help detectives spot trends for enforcement and prevention efforts.
For more context on those patterns, see the Metropolitan Police Department robbery and carjacking trends page, which includes the department’s data attachments and briefings.
