police chief cathy lanier's plan to reverse a spike in robberies in the city. fox 5's audrey barnes is live in northwest at the scene of an armed robbery from last night. reporter: the victim here on albemarle street was approached by an armed robber, demanded his property and ran off with it along with two other suspects standing nearby. at a community meeting tonight chief cathy lanier says snatch robberies are even a bigger problem when someone sees you talking on your cell phone or working on your ipad, grabs it and runs before you even know what hit you. residents from at least seven different wards packed into all souls episcopal church to talk crime with chief cathy lanier. >> the reports have gone from thefts of gpss out of cars with and without the doors locked to holdups, actually armed robberies. >> has it made you afraid in your neighborhood? >> it makes me a lot more cautious. reporter: the chief says there's been a huge spikes in three types of robberies from auto, commercial establishments and by far the biggest volumes are on the streets often i

. >> cathy lanier promises police those responsible. >> the officers do a fantastic job.hbors are on the lookout. thought it was so strange. >> this woman says she may have criminals as they paced first-rate. >> they were shining a flashlight. it was the driver. the driver was holding it and and looking. it was going on and off. i have my cell phone right there called 911. >> police say they are looking many as three young men. they're investigating the that this crime has extended into montgomery county. information -- we have about how eating chocolate can improve your health. now there is word that the drinking beer can help with heart disease. beer drinkers are 30% less suffering heart or strokes. >> you could see our crew over there cheering. we have a closer look at the of rising nflrity tebow.m he tops the list of the popular athletes. this comes as sunday's victory the steelers was the rated nfl wild-card game in 18 years. we received more than 100 to this subject on our facebook page. not everyone shares their opinion. >> i know you love them because gator, likei

coming up in the next half hour, how cathy lanier is trying to reassure the community the police are doing everything they can to stop a spike in robberies. the return of rain. tom kierein tells us when we should expect it. stars of the broadway musical "la cage aux folles" are here. we are going to sit down with the talented i just had it with cable. it just got more frustrating and frustrating. a lot of times, the picture would break up. for the amount of money that i am paying, my cable company should take care of me. [ male announcer ] stop paying for second best. move up to verizon fios tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $89.99 a month guaranteed for two years. first time we saw tv on fios was amazing! i was just in a trance watching it. i'm discovering new channels every day. [ male announcer ] and here's a special bonus: sign up now and get $300 back with a two-year contract. fios internet -- the speed, you can't compare. i'm able to take care of things much faster now. [ male announcer ] start saving now. move up to fios for our best price online -- $89.

cathy lanier is giving a reward of up to $10,000 for anyone who can give police information to whoevers behind this black market scene. ken molestina, 9news now. >> thanks, ken. >>> also controversy tonight surrounding the girl scouts in north virginia. a group says troops are no longer welcome. the church says the local girl scout troops cannot meet on church property anymore because the national organization is connected with planned parenthood. but the girl scout nation says that's not true. either way, they have until the end of the school year to find a new meeting place. >>> a former frederick county sheriffs deputy is not libel for the death of gerald gray. today a federal jury ruled in favor of the county after gray's family filed a civil suit. the 20-year-old died after the deputy was shocked with a stun gun. gary's family allegings the deputy used -- alleges the deputy used excessive force. as scott broom reports, they walked away with tears and disappointment. >> i'm going to have to go to my son's burial. >> reporter: his mother. >> he's not the first person and he's not go

police chief cathy lanier spoke to residents last night about a recent string of armed robberies in northwest washington. since the first of the year, there have been nine armed robberies within three miles of the tinley metro. the latest happened monday night. police are offering up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. two weeks ago, three of the nine armed robberies happened on the same night within 30 minutes of each other. the victims were walking on quiet residential streets less than three miles apart. police believe the majority if not all of the crimes are related. they believe the crimes are being perpetrated by a group of two to three men. >> no more sleeping for occupy d.c. demonstrators at mcpherson square. during a hearing on capitol hill tuesday, the national park service director jonathan jarvis, admitted to allowing protestors to sleep in the park to help keep the peace. this contradicts a law which allows around-the-clock protests but prohibits camping in national parks. jarvis says park police officers will begin to enforce the no camping law here

police chief cathy lanier said the car was trying to get through a small gap in the crowd when the protestors moved in front of it. >>> just about 4:37. here is a look at the other things making news now. this morning, rescuers are once again searching for victims of a landslide in the philippines. so far, bodies of 20 people have been found. officials say they're not sure how many more remain buried in the rubble. the landslide happened months after geologists warned the area was highly susceptible to sudden landslides. >>> the family of a 15-year-old middle school student shot and killed by police in brownsville, texas, have a different take on the shooting. police killed jaime gonzalez in the school hallway earlier this week after they say he pointed what they thought was a handgun at them. it later turned out the child had a pellet gun. police say gonzalez brought the gun to school and threatened administrators. the boy's mother claims her son didn't own a pellet gun. she says he took it away from another child and was turning it into the principal's office when the confusion began. >>> t

at least seven different wards packed into all souls episcopal church to talk crime with chief cathy lanierhe reports have gone from thefts of gpss out of cars with and without the doors locked to armed robberies. >> reporter: has it made you afraid in your neighborhood? >> it makes me a lot more cautious. >> the chief says there has been a big increase in certain types of robberies. the biggest volumes are in the quietest neighborhoods where residents may have let their guards down. >> between 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 or 11:00 at night, they are approaching people most of the time when they are getting out of their cars, unhooding packages from the grocery store. >> reporter: often what they want is your technology. >> particularly the devices being stolen from people walking down the street. >> reporter: the chief says smart phones and iep ads are a thief's best friend. they can grab your $400 device, run around the corner and sell it for $50 before you can borrow a phone to call for help. that is where her rewards program will come into play. >> we are on the verge of launching a tip

. >> after 9news contacted metropolitan police chief cathy lanier released a statement. at this time, we're trying to determine who changed the posted times on the signs. either way, all of the tickets issued will be voided at no cost to the vehicle owners. >>> a maryland hunter was shot this weekend by a fellow hunter in fort washington. the two were in the woods near the 9200 block of oxon hill road. police say the victim was one of five people hunting when he was shot in the stomach by someone else in the group. police say all five will face charges. >> at this point, charges will be pending against all five of the persons because hunting is obviously illegal in our park, anything owned by the maryland park and planning commission. >> the 60-year-old victim is expected to recover. >> a 24-year-old airman from maryland has been killed in afghanistan. the defendant department says airman first class matthew sider will was one of three killed when an ied hit the vehicle. sider will was from westminster, maryland. he was at peterson air force base in colorado. >> a budget

police chief cathy lanier and the national park service amongst others to figure out why the protesters were able to circumvent the district's ban against camping in a federal park so members of the committee hint that they'll question the park services decision making process and possibly mer vincent gray's change his views on the cabinet seems that gray has taken a cue from mitt romney going back on his original support encouragement to call me curious and dangerous and a serious sanitation problem now usually that would be a city issue is a city issue the mayor has spoken but no you see for some reason congress wants to get results is quite rare as usually they don't really delve into local d.c. governance issues they continue to overlook serious issues in the past like the shocking aids epidemic where one of the highest rates of aids rates of aids and hiv in the entire country disease department of health says that seven percent of d.c. residents between the ages of forty and forty nine are infected which is three times what the world health organization classifies as an epidemic bu

police chief cathy lanier and the national park service amongst others to figure out why the protesters were able to circumvent the district's ban against camping in a federal park so members of the committee had that they'll question the park services decision making process and possibly mayor vincent gray.

. >> cathy lanier has acknowledged that from time to time, officers are taken from the neighborhoods redeployment has had no-of facts and crime. >> if they're pulling police others out of neighborhoods this is a good time to hire people to become officers. >> reason worries about health hazards including rats and the park are expected to be discussed with top city officials. as to whether the protesters should be allowed to stay, residents have differing opinions. >> they are wasting the taxpayers' money to have the police go down there. >> the constitution says we have to protect the right to address congress. >> who has the authority to allow the protesters to remain? that will kick off at 9:30 this morning on capitol hill. >> thanks so much. 6:46 and an arizona congressman wants to read district -- restrict abortions in the district. he wants to introduce legislation to ban abortion on fetuses 20 weeks or older. d.c. delegate eleanor holmes norton says she will work to defeat the bill. congress has banned the district using city funds to pay for abortions. >> the man accused of sh

police chief cathy lanier shut down the lounge last friday for 56 hours.violence, noise, and traffic around club even before the stabbing. >>> we are now learning about the connection of a u.s. park ranger killed in washington state that she had to the d.c. area. margaret anderson was shot at mt. rainier national park on new year's day. she was trying to catch a man who did not stop at a checkpoint. before anderson moved to washington state, she had patrolled the c&o canal national historical park and had worked as a medic there. former co-workers say she was also a wife and moerd who will be missed. >> she's great. she was spunky. she was one of the nicest, sweetest people you'll ever meet. >> she was outstanding. i think in this world there's some people that are just make the world a better place, and she was one of those. >> police say 24-year-old benjamin barnes killed her. he was an army veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome. authorities found his body on the park grounds. >>> new from overnight, prince george's county issued a silv

police chief cathy lanier assured residents there will be a stronger police presence in their neighborhoods. but she says the police need their help. >> the good thing about neighborhoods like that is that residents are very civic mined and they're very aware. and they'll start reporting suspicious activity. they'll give us the tips that we need. >> police have stepped up patrols and now have plain clothes officers in ward 2 as well. >>> we have a commuter alert a heads-up for riders on three separate metro lines this weekend. the blue and the orange lines, there will be no service between l'enfant plaza and eastern market. that begins tonight at 10:00 and goes through monday night. shuttle buses will get you around the closure but add 20 to 30 minutes for your trip. also want to expect delays this weekend on the red line. there will be single tracking in two spots dupont circle to vainnesses and takoma to forest glen. >>> maryland governor martin o'malley is backtracking a bit from his idea to raise the state sales tax. wednesday, just hours before the legislative session began, he noticed

cathy lanier said the crooks are stealing smart phones to sell them on the black market. so far, she isn't getting any help from the phone companies. >>> the d.c. chamber of commerce says the occupy protestors in mcpherson square need to go. it calls the protest a burden on the city's economy and police. earlier this week, the national park service admitted it is looking the other way as protestors camp out in the square. the chamber says the city is paying $1.6 million for police in the area. it also says the protestors are hurting local businesses. >> a look at a testy exchange between the president and the governor of arizona. the president met republican governor jan brewer when he arrived yesterday in mesa. and a camera caught what looks like the governor brewer wagging her finger in the face of president obama. reporters in arizona asked the governor what happened. >> difficult to recall exactly because i've always been kind of animated and talking, we could have been talking about a lot of different things. bottom line is that he generally wants to talk about amnes

police chief cathy lanier offered comments on the recent string of armed robberies in northwest washington. she spoke at a community meeting last night on what the department is doing to catch the crooks. since the first of the year, there have been nine armed robberies within three miles of the tinley town metro with the latest taking place just last night. police are now offering up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction and chief lanier says that incentive will work. >> i can tell you there is no honor among thieves. what i -- when i offer the reward program, people will call. they will tell us. they will turn each other in if for nothing else to eliminate the competition. >> two weeks ago, three of the nine armed robberies happened on the same night within 30 minutes of each other. the victims were all walking on quiet residential streets less than three miles apart. police believe the majority if not all of the crimes are related. they also believe they're being committed by two or three men. >>> it is 5:05. i'm watching your money. a strong profit report from

police chief cathy lanier says that's just not true. >> we have interviewed 14 or 17 additional people who said they were witnesses to this event since the original accident report was taken and tickets were issued. at this point there is no evidence to support writing citations to anybody else. >> last month d.c. police said the car was trying to get through a small gap in the crowd when the protesters moved in front of it. >>> just a heartbreaking scene outside a new york city church today. the funeral for three little girls killed in a house fire in connecticut. until this morning their mother ad executive madonna badger called the fire that killed her children and their grandparents incomprehensible. investigators say a bag of discarded fire embers started the fire christmas morning. about 1,000 people attended today's funeral. >>> elsewhere a close call for a family in upstate new york this week. a contractor working at a home in schenectady pierced a gas line yesterday. the house was evacuated just in the nick of time. someone called 911 just before the house exploded causing a f

police chief cathy lanier's tip reward program to reverse a spike in robberies.es, commercial establishments and people walking on the streets. they are often looking to steal electronics like smart phones an ipads. >>> actress demi moore is hospitalized. >>> plus, privacy advocates expressing concern about a new policy on google. >> we have today's always interesting and informative ask the weather guys question. tucker barnes working hard on it over there. we'll be back on the other side of the break. stay with us. [ male announcer ] this was how my day began. a little bird told me about a band... ♪ an old man shared some fish stories... ♪ oooh, my turn. ♪ she was in paris, but we talked for hours... everyone else buzzed about the band. there's a wireless mind inside all of us. so, where to next? ♪ >>> a treatment for depression could come from something that is currently illegal in the u.s. psychedelic mushroomed. "usa today" reports on two new study which show the active ingredients in such mushrooms booforted emotional well being in healthy patients. other r

police chief cathy lanier spoke at a community meeting.he thinks a reward will help police capture the people behind nine armed robberies in the last three weeks. >> i can tell you there is no honor among thieves. when i offer the reward program, people will call. they will tell us, they will turn each other in, if nor nothing else to eliminate the competition. >> two weeks ago, three of the nine armed rob robberies happened on the same night within 30 minutes of each other. all less than three miles apart. police believe the majority if not all of the crimes are related. they believe two or three men are behind it all. >>> a health alert now for virginia parents about their children's vaccinations. a state house committee has approved a bill to end required vaccinations for girls against the human papilloma virus. hpv is sexually transmit and can lead to cervical cancer. republicans say the current law encourages casual premarital sex. the full house could take up the bill friday. >>> researchers in new york believe they've created a brea

s police chief, cathy lanier. back to you, andrea. >> delia gonsalves reporting live from mcpherson square. >> the u.s. supreme court has ruled unanimously that police must have a search warrant before using gps technology to track criminal suspects. it is a major setback for the government and police who have increasingly release of lied on the high tech surveillance. the decision stems from a case involving d.c. nightclub owner antoine jones. the gps device in jones' jeep helped authorities link him to a maryland house used to stash money and drugs. jones was sentenced to life in prison but an appeals court reversed that conviction. >>> police have identified the victim of a deadly pedestrian accident in prince george's county. tucker butler of temple hills died yesterday morning at samuel chase elementary school. officers say a maintenance worker driving a school van backed over the 48-year-old woman. police say butler has no ties to the school and may have just been passing through school property when she was

police chief cathy lanier is among city leaders testifying before house subcommittee about why protesters have been allowed to stay camped out for so long. later today, president obama will address congress and the nation with his third state of the union address. with his re-election campaign already under way the president's speech will focus on the economy. you can watch the state of the union address tonight at 9:00 right here on news4. >>> crews are start preparations to pump a half million gallons of fuel from the wreckage of an italian cruise ship. the costa concordia capsized january 13th. today divers found another body in the wreckage. 16 have been recovered so far. survivor of the cruise ship disaster are learning pursuing a legal fight may be long and complicated. experts say boarding passes for the passengers on the costa concordia likely served as legal contracts and liability issues probably buried in fine print. in fact, american passengers who wanted to pursue a legal claim will have to take their case to italy. >> jurisdictions are going to be absolutely 100% in italy. t