Visitor parking pass thieves creating misery for residents around Nationals stadium

D.C. residents said some Nationals fans aren't just going to games, they're also gaming the system when it comes to parking.

"This is what living next to the Nationals stadium get you," Katherine Jefferson said as she walked out of her home Thursday morning. She used her phone to record what she saw -- her car, with a shattered driver side front window. It had been broken into, although Jefferson said whoever is responsible didn't leave with much. In fact, she said they didn't even bother unlocking her doors. They didn't need to to grab her parking pass.

"They didn't look for nothing else," she said Friday. "They just came for that visitors pass."

For residents, the passes are free. All you have to do is apply online. But Jefferson, as well as her neighbors, said people are selling the passes to Nationals fans. That sentiment is backed up by a quick online search, where it's not hard to find listings advertising the passes for up to $300.

"You come home, you have nowhere to park because everybody has a visitors parking sticker and nobody's visiting. They're at the game," Jefferson said.

D.C. Police confirmed that Jefferson told them about what happened, and they took a report. They then directed us to a spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Transportation, who said they weren't aware of the problem, but they are now, adding that the penalty for selling a visitors pass is a $350 fine and they plan to enforce it.

Jefferson said she hopes the enforcement efforts start soon, especially with baseball season right around the corner.

The Washington Nationals did not immediately reply to a request for comment.