"If anyone has any information pls contact MPD on 202-727-9099."
— Commander Jacob Kishter
Metropolitan Police Dept. Third District

Convention Center Metro elevator (north of M Street). Sunday, December 27, 2009; mid afternoon.

A local merchant on 7th Street, in Shaw Main Streets district (PSA 308, ANC2C, Ward 2) told me that when he closed Saturday night around 11pm, he did not notice any of the gang tags that seem to have appeared on private property on 7th Street from Rhode Island Avenue to the Convention Center Metro station on M Street NW. (View web album of photos here.) It's amazing to me that anyone was able to do all of this vandalism without any witnesses. I'm told the tag "Moe" represents a group of people not just one individual's criminal activity.

I would hope that any "group" responsible for this type of vandalism (and many thousands of dollars of property damage) would be treated as a "gang" to the fullest extent of the law and pursued as a active and serious threat to the community. Another local business owner I spoke to this afternoon suggested that there needs to be more MPD officers on the street to deter this type of activity and the violent crime in Shaw. I concur. I'm wondering if the City might put out a reward for information leading to the arrest of members of the "Moe" gang, to inspire more citizen/resident action and vigilance. It would be great if the District would pass legislation giving residents a tax credit for installing security cameras on their homes. Several residents have done this nearby in Shaw and attest to the effectiveness of security cameras as a deterrent to crime. This would also alleviate putting pressure on MPD's human resources which seem to be stretched thin.

Bread for the City's Northwest headquarters at 1525 7th Street NW.

A local family entered their home on 7th Street after coming home from church apparently. One of the little girls started to cry because someone had so maliciously tagged her home. Her mother rushed her inside. After seeing the full extent of the Saturday night vandalism attack, I was a little upset myself. It's nauseating, really.

Local business on 7th Street (north of P Street NW)

7th & Q Streets NW

Clear Channel's bus shelter on 1400 block of 7th Street NW in front of O Street Giant

Another Clear Channel bus shelter on 600 block of P Street NW

NOVEMER 2009

Are all vehicles in Shaw also prey to this vandalism? This example of "Moe's" vandalism was on on a private vehicle parked on the 1200 block of 10th Street NW. Photo taken on Nov. 16, 2009.