A malfunctioning home alarm system has been driving residents on Capitol Hill batty recently, as its owners aren’t home and the alarm company doesn’t have contact information. Neighbors have resorted to trying to smother the alarm with towels. The Metropolitan Police tells the W.Times that all it can do is make sure the property is secure, but can’t break into the house to shut the system down.

Pepco says it can’t shut power off to the house on 12th Street SE because that would interfere with service. The whole problem started when there was a power outage on the Hill and when Pepco restored service, the alarm went haywire. DCist says to residents on 12th Street: Time to buy earplugs.