A District man was sentenced to nine years in prison for a string of burglaries of businesses and nonprofits in Northwest Washington.
Robert L. Brown pleaded guilty last month to breaking into the Brookings Institution, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Smith Center for Healing and Arts along with other buidings. Prosecutors said Brown broke in to about two dozen places, stealing laptop computers, digital computers and other electronics equipment.
On Sept. 4, 2010 at about 8 a.m., Brown used a tool to pry open the rear security door of the Brookings Institution, in the 1700 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW. A security guard was summoned by a burglar alarm, and Brown yelled, “I have a gun!” and fled.
