They made their bed...

Soaring crime in the nation's capital is leaving residents rattled, with locals driving small distances to avoid walking the dangerous streets and others now too fearful to step outside even during the day.

Homicides and robberies are up 29 and 67 per cent from the same time period last year, with murders approaching levels not seen in two decades - while other big cities such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore are seeing declines.

Neighboring Baltimore could end the year with under 300 killings for the first time since the riots over Freddie Gray's death in police custody in 2015.

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