In Brookland, Fear of Muggings Near Metro Looms

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DURING LAST SUMMER'S CRIME SPIKE in the District, the Columbia Heights intersection of 14th Street NW and Columbia Road was a notable mugging epicenter. While it's too early to analyze this year's crime statistics for specific trends as The Post's Allison Klein and Dan Keating did last year, residents in Brookland know full well that this year, streets leading to and from the neighborhood's Metrorail station have been a prime target for criminals. Starting this spring and continuing on into this month, the neighborhood's message board has been buzzing with reports of muggings.

Last weekend, "Brian on Newton" wrote about the situation, following a mugging the previous Monday afternoon at 14th and Otis streets NE:

Yes this is a very bad, but fairly typical warm weather uptick in local crime. We must be watchful and report everything — hopefully in real time where it can do some good. It is great for everyone to report incidents after the fact on the listservs so others can keep their eyes and ears open.

Monroe, Newton, Otis are pedestrian gateways to ... the entire 12th Street corridor, as well as Brookland and Michigan Park. ... Everyone can be a mark. When [you're] tired, late in the day, your perceptions and normal defenses may be down.

» "Liveliest D.C. Neighborhoods Also Jumping With Robberies" [WaPo]
» "Mugging at 14th and Otis on Monday Afternoon" [Brookland Yahoo Group, subscription req'd]
» "A Few Hours ... in Brookland" [Free Ride/Express]