Crime Perception in Wheaton Not Accurate, Police Say

The in late November has built a perception that Wheaton is a dangerous place. But it’s a perception, police say, that is not true.

At , Sergeant Adam Currie, of the 4th District Montgomery County Police, shared crime statistics from the past month.

Excluding the series of carjackings, there have been four other violent crimes--all robberies--from Nov. 7 to Dec. 6 in the police area L2, which encompasses Wheaton’s Central Business District, Currie said. Two of those robberies involved intoxicated victims, and Currie said that, reading the report for the third robbery, it sounded very likely that the victim was intoxicated.

“As far as violent crime in Wheaton goes, it’s almost nonexistent,” said Currie, who has served on the police force for 15 years. “The perception definitely doesn’t fit the reality.”

As to why the series of carjackings occurred in Wheaton of all places, Currie said that nothing was clear, but that the “overriding theory” was the proximity to a Metro station.

“There’s nothing that made Wheaton a more inviting target,” Currie said.

Ana Lopez van Balen addressed other WUDAC members, commending the police for . “I just think they need credit for what they did,” van Balen said.

A recent article in the Gazette quoted several community leaders who agree with Currie.

“I have never felt unsafe in Wheaton and I’ve been here for over 38 years,” WUDAC vice chair Marian Fryer told the Gazette.

Currie also spoke to WUDAC about how residents can prevent crime by locking car doors and watching abandoned homes for signs of illegal activity.

In the last month, there have been four thefts from vehicles in the CBD, Currie said. The police department and Wheaton’s Clean and Safe Team run a Yellow Card Campaign during the holiday season. They walk through parking lots looking for valuable items inside cars that are obviously visible. Then they mail a yellow card to the person to let them know of the potential risk.

A very high percentage of thefts from vehicles involve unlocked doors.

“They’re looking for the easy victim,” Currie said.