College Park public safety team reports two carjackings and rising auto thefts; residents press for action on late‑night racing

College Park — At a public safety meeting, city presenters summarized September crime statistics and fielded repeated resident complaints about late‑night street racing and loud vehicles.

"For September, we've had 2 carjackings," the presenter said during a slide presentation that also listed two assaults, 26 thefts from autos, 17 other thefts and seven stolen vehicles for the month. The presenter said detectives are investigating both carjackings, including a Sept. 13 incident on the 6800 block of Dartmouth Avenue involving a rideshare driver who was robbed at gunpoint and a Sept. 19 incident on the 5200 block of Huron Avenue tied to a planned drug purchase in which suspects displayed a handgun and took the vehicle.

The presentation highlighted concentrated property crime along the Baltimore Avenue corridor. The presenter said thefts from autos included four incidents of tires and rims taken (targeting Hondas), three incidents of airbags stolen, and seven shoplifting cases — four at the CVS on the 7300 block of Baltimore Avenue and three at the Home Depot on the 4700 block of Cherry Hill Road.

The meeting also reviewed enforcement activity by contract officers, who the presenter said conducted 32 field stops for the month and issued 119 Maryland state traffic citations, 202 warning citations, 45 safety equipment repair orders and one criminal arrest. Contract officers also assisted patrol and special operations following a fatal scooter collision near University and Baltimore Avenue, the presenter said.

Residents used the open floor to press for stepped‑up nighttime enforcement. "They were going very, very fast, and the noise woke me up," resident Maria said of racing she reported around 11 p.m. on Kenilworth Avenue and Edmondston Road, adding that the noise "shook the house." Presenters acknowledged the complaints and said contract officers would pay attention to those corridors and to late hours on Saint Andrews, which a council member said has seen recurring racing between midnight and 3 a.m.

Officials cautioned that enforcement has limits: the presenter described a department no‑pursuit policy that applies except for certain violent crimes and encouraged residents to call 911 when they witness dangerous or criminal activity so an officer will be dispatched. On handling neighbor disputes, the presenter said officers first speak with the reporting party to determine whether a crime occurred and may then speak with other parties at an officer’s discretion to de‑escalate the situation.

A resident suggested a giveaway of steering‑wheel clubs (anti‑theft locks) for Hondas after multiple rim and airbag thefts; the presenter said giveaways depend on donations from manufacturers but agreed to check availability and consider an event. A contract officer also reported removing three dump trucks from service for brake failures and noted ongoing checks for overweight trucks that damage residential streets.

The meeting included a welcome for a new public safety officer, Ed, and closed with an announcement that the next public safety meeting will be the first Monday in November at Dave Davis Hall, Public Works Facility, College Park. Presenters urged residents to use 911 for emergencies and provided tips to reduce victimization: park in well‑lit areas and do not leave valuables visible in vehicles.

The city did not adopt new policies or take formal votes at the meeting; presenters said ongoing investigations will continue and that officers will focus enforcement on the corridors named by residents.