Aside from problems solving murders, Prince George’s County also tops the list for the jurisdiction where it is easiest to get away with robbing someone.
But across the region, robberies are the easiest violent crime to get away with, police statistics show. That’s the case nationally, too. According to the FBI, only 25 percent of robberies — defined as taking property by force or the threat of force — are solved.
In the Greater D.C. area, most jurisdictions are well above the national mark for closing cases, with the District and Prince George’s as the exceptions. Last year D.C. solved 15 percent of its robberies and Prince George’s a mere 3.8 percent.
Robbers get away for reasons similar to why it’s technically more difficult for Prince George’s and District police to catch murderers — robberies often happen at night, the victim rarely knows the attacker and in cases of commercial robberies — banks or the 7-Eleven down the street — the attacker often wears a mask, said Chris McGoey, a California-based crime expert with decades of experience testifying in court and running security for businesses.
With so little evidence left behind in robberies, if victims want to catch their attacker, it’s best to be prepared. Businesses can upgrade their video technology and teach employees the basics of crime scene preservation, McGoey said.
And an option for victims attacked on the street?
“Put a bullet [in the attacker’s] leg,” he said.
