Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 14, 2004

MTPD kicks off National Crime Prevention Month

Pickpocket/identity theft seminar to be held

October is National Crime Prevention Month and the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) is getting an early start by sponsoring a Pickpocket/Identity Theft Seminar on Wednesday, September 15, 2004. The seminar, which will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will be in the MTPD Training Room, located at Metro headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC. Detective Cedric Mitchell, a nationally recognized expert in the field, who has been featured on the " Montel Williams Show," " Court TV," and " Good Morning America," will host the seminar. Det. Mitchell was interviewed this past January by The Houston Chronicle for a story about robbery pickpocket crimes during Super Bowl XXXVIII, which was held in Houston, TX. " While police departments in the region have rightly focused their attention on terrorism alertness and prevention, criminals have not stopped committing other forms of crime. Pickpockets continue to stay under the radar of the public and most law enforcement. In addition, the crime leading from pickpocketing is identity theft," noted Det. Mitchell. The Federal Trade Commission recently issued an alert to the public warning of identity theft. It is estimated that about 27.3 million people have been victims of identity theft in the past five years. Washington, DC, leads the United States in identity theft occurrences.In addition to Transit Police recruits, officers and investigators from the following police departments will also be in attendance: Amtrak, Maryland Transportation Authority PD, Smithsonian Security, Fairfax County PD, Montgomery County PD, US Park Police, as well as security personal from the MCI Center. Class participants will learn how pickpockets ply their trade, how they pick their victims, how they steal victims" identities, the kind of jargon they use, how they learn to become pickpockets, and more. The officers also will be able to take information back to their jurisdictions and organizations to provide to those they serve on how to prevent themselves from being victimized by this crime.In addition to class time, participants will travel to Metro Center (13th and G streets, NW entrance) at 1 p.m., to observe Det. Mitchell and his team demonstrate ways in which people become victims of pickpockets. " The crime of identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation. Anything we can do to give citizens information for protecting themselves is a prevention tool for them," said Det. Mitchell. Pickpocketing typically occurs mostly in crowds at malls, theaters, museums, bus and train stations, airports, stadiums, art galleries, department stores, grocery stores, street corners, and more. " While certain times of the year may see an intensification of this crime, the upcoming holiday season is another period when pickpockets intensify their efforts," Detective Mitchell says.

News release issued on September 14, 2004.