(Updated at 4 p.m.) A 37-year-old Arlington man is facing nearly 20 charges related to a series of side view mirror thefts from vehicles.
The thefts started in April and continued into May and June. In total, according to Arlington County police, more than 100 vehicles had mirrors stolen or damaged in the crime spree.
Many modern side view mirrors house sensors and other electronics that could be worth more than a thousand dollars, making them attractive to thieves.
Police say the suspect was arrested Wednesday after evidence led detectives to him during the investigation. Police say additional charges are possible, on top of the current 19 theft and destruction of property charges.
The Arlington County Police Department’s Property Crimes – Auto Unit is announcing the arrest of the suspect in a series of thefts of vehicle parts. Luis Manuel Tavares Sanchez, 37, of Arlington, VA is charged with nine counts of Petit Larceny and ten counts of Destruction of Property, two of which are felony charges. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
In late April 2023, police began investigating a series of thefts in which the suspect would steal and/or damage the glass from sideview mirrors of parked vehicles in various neighborhoods throughout Arlington County. In total, police received 61 reports documenting 104 vehicles with stolen or damaged mirrors. During the course of the investigation, detectives reviewed evidence, spoke to witnesses and followed up on investigative leads which led to the identification of the suspect. He was taken into custody on the afternoon of July 26, 2023. The investigation into the series is ongoing and additional charges may be sought at a later time.
The same suspect was arrested in October and charged with damaging more than 90 cars with a BB gun, an ACPD spokeswoman confirmed to ARLnow. He had been released on a jail diversion program and was due in court on this coming Wednesday, Aug. 2 to update his progress.
Three Baltimore men are facing theft-related charges after being allegedly caught in a car with a stolen license plate and a stolen catalytic converter inside.
The arrest happened early Saturday morning, in the Douglas Park neighborhood, after police say the trio was seen stealing a catalytic converter from a car in the Buckingham neighborhood.
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Significant), 2023-07150061, 200 block of N. Piedmont Pike. At approximately 3:48 a.m. on July 15, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. The reporting party advised they had observed three suspects allegedly steal a catalytic converter and flee the scene in a vehicle. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the area of 14th Street S. and S. Monroe Street. The investigation determined the suspect vehicle was displaying a stolen license plate and during a search of the vehicle, burglarious tools and a catalytic converter were recovered. [Suspect 1], 18; [Suspect 2], 21; and [Suspect 3], 20, all of Baltimore, MD, were arrested and charged with Entering a Motor Vehicle, Removal of a Catalytic Converter and Possession of Burglarious Tools.
This year has not had as many reports of catalytic converter thefts among ACPD crime reports as last year, when 172 thefts were reported by early October.
The car part, which reduces toxic vehicle emissions, is a popular target among thieves due to the valuable precious metals inside.
A week after announcing an arrest for a 2022 fatal overdose, Arlington County police have charged two more people in another deadly opioid overdose.
A 19-year-old Arlington man and 19-year-old Fairfax woman are facing manslaughter and other charges in connection to a March 2023 overdose in the Courthouse area. A man died after being found unresponsive in a stairwell; police say he was sold drugs containing fentanyl by the suspect, Shan Mehmood.
A LinkedIn page suggests that Mehmood was a 2021 Washington-Liberty High School graduate. He now faces manslaughter, drug, and gun charges, while the female suspect faces a charge of Accessory After the Fact to Manslaughter.
ACPD said in a press release, below, that it “remains committed to thoroughly investigating narcotics incidents and holding accountable those who traffic dangerous and deadly narcotics into our community.”
The Arlington County Police Department’s Organized Crime Section is announcing two arrests following an investigation into a fentanyl overdose death. Shan Mehmood, 19, of Arlington, VA is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, Distribution of Fentanyl, Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm while Possessing Fentanyl with the Intent to Distribute. He is currently being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility. Eliana Ayelen Mendoza, 19, of Fairfax, VA is charged with Accessory After the Fact to Manslaughter and was released from custody after posting bond.
At approximately 6:45 p.m. on March 7, 2023, police were dispatched to the 1200 block of N. Scott Street for the report of a medical emergency. Upon arrival, officers located an unresponsive adult male in the stairwell of a residential building suffering from an apparent fentanyl overdose. He was transported to an area hospital and, despite lifesaving measures, passed away on March 8, 2023. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined cause of death to be acute fentanyl intoxication.
During the course of the comprehensive investigation, detectives assigned to the Organized Crime Section identified Shan Mehmood as the individual suspected of supplying the deceased with controlled substances. At the time of his arrest, narcotics and a firearm were recovered.
The Arlington County Police Department remains committed to thoroughly investigating narcotics incidents and holding accountable those who traffic dangerous and deadly narcotics into our community. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are numerous resources available through the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative. For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.
This year, Arlington County and Arlington Public Schools have been undertaking a number of measures to combat the opioid crisis after a spate of local overdose deaths.
A 30-year-old Lorton man is being charged with involuntary manslaughter after a fatal Arlington overdose.
A man died in a Penrose home last June after overdosing on drugs that contained fentanyl and mirtazapine, according to Arlington police.
An investigation led police to “the individual suspected of supplying the deceased with controlled substances.”
More, below, from a just-issued ACPD press release.
The Arlington County Police Department’s Organized Crime Section is announcing charges have been obtained following an investigation into a fentanyl overdose death. Armand Navarro, 30, of Lorton, VA is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Distribution of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance (2nd Offense). He is being held on unrelated charges in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
At approximately 10:06 p.m. on June 29, 2022, police were dispatched to the 700 block of S. Courthouse Road for the report of a medical emergency. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male inside a residence suffering from an apparent fentanyl overdose. Despite lifesaving measures attempted by officers and the Arlington County Fire Department, he was pronounced deceased on scene. An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined cause of death to be acute fentanyl and mirtazapine intoxication.
Detectives assigned to the Organized Crime Section initiated a comprehensive investigation which included witness interviews and the review of evidence. As a result of the review, detectives identified the individual suspected of supplying the deceased with controlled substances and warrants were obtained for his arrest.
The Arlington County Police Department remains committed to thoroughly investigating narcotics incidents and holding accountable those who traffic dangerous and deadly narcotics into our community. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are numerous resources available through the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative. For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.
This year, Arlington County and Arlington Public Schools have been undertaking a number of measures to combat the opioid crisis after a spate of overdose deaths.
Police on scene of incident involving man armed with stolen rifle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of incident involving man armed with stolen rifle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of incident involving man armed with stolen rifle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of incident involving man armed with stolen rifle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of incident involving man armed with stolen rifle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of incident involving man armed with stolen rifle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 5:30 p.m.) A ballistic-vest-wearing man armed with a rifle that was allegedly stolen from a police car was arrested this morning at the Pentagon City mall.
The first call came in shortly after 9 a.m. for reports of a man armed with a long gun who was “waving it around” and walking up and down 12th Street S., near the Pentagon City Metro entrance.
Callers told 911 dispatchers that he was wearing a red plaid shirt, tan cargo pants, and a ballistic vest with federal agency markings, while holding a rifle. Subsequent dispatches suggested he was walking in the direction of the mall after trying to drop off a bag he was carrying in the lobby of the apartment building at 710 12th Street S.
Eventually, an officer radioed that she had the suspect stopped in the mall parking garage and requested backup to take him into custody.
No one was hurt. The rifle — allegedly stolen from an Arlington County police cruiser that was parked nearby — was recovered from the 21-year-old suspect.
“At approximately 9:06 a.m., police were dispatched to the 700 block of 12th Street S. for the report of a person with a gun,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Alli Shorb tells ARLnow. “The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect forced entry into an off-duty officer’s parked police vehicle using a shovel and removed a secured rifle and other items.”
“With the assistance of community members contacting 911 to report a suspicious male walking in the area with a rifle and non-ACPD ballistic vest, responding officers quickly located and took the suspect into custody without incident,” Shorb continued. “The suspect was taken into custody in the parking garage and officers recovered the rifle which he was in possession of… No injuries were reported and charges are pending.”
The incident comes 20 days after a man armed with a rifle opened fire at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, killing eight people, including children.
More, below, from an ACPD press release issued Friday evening.
The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is announcing the arrest of a suspect armed with a stolen rifle in the Pentagon City area on the morning of May 26, 2023. Tyler Rodriguez-Hernandez, 21, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Grand Larceny, Petit Larceny, Receiving Stolen Goods, Destruction of Property, Wearing Body Armor in the Commission of a Crime and Unlawful Wearing of Police Insignia. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility on no bond.
At approximately 9:06 a.m., police were dispatched to the 700 block of 12th Street S. for the report of a person with a gun. A perimeter was established and a lookout for the suspect was broadcast. Officers located the suspect in possession of a stolen rifle and wearing a non-ACPD ballistic vest with police insignia inside a parking garage in the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street and took him into custody without incident.
The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect entered a parking garage in the 700 block of 12th Street S. and discharged a fire extinguisher before he forced entry with a shovel into an off-duty officer’s parked police vehicle and removed a secured rifle and other items. The suspect then ran across the street, briefly entered a shopping mall and exited into the parking garage where he was located and apprehended by responding officers. The rifle was recovered on scene and no injuries were reported.
Today’s quick apprehension was aided by the proactive involvement of community members who immediately reported the suspect’s suspicious behavior by calling 911. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective A. Barnickle of the Criminal Investigations Division at 703-228-4342 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Pentagon City Metro station entrance (staff photo)
A simple fare evasion offense led to serious charges Thursday in Pentagon City, police say.
According to Metro Transit Police, a 24-year-old D.C. man tried to enter the Metro gates without paying. He was detained and “failed to comply with citation and ID check,” then was arrested and “found to be in possession [of two] semi-automatic handguns and brass knuckles,” police said.
The man is now facing gun and other charges.
The public announcement of the arrest comes as Metro steps up enforcement of fare evasion. The transit agency’s police force resumed issuing tickets to fare jumpers in November. In March, Metro revealed that 13% of riders are not paying their fare while touting new, taller faregates that are harder to hop.
Last month, Metro CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke told WTOP that “we need to gain control of the system back and we’ve got to bring a sense of orderliness.”
“Not everyone that fare evades commits criminal activity on our system,” Clarke told the radio station. “But, almost universally… 99.9% of people that commit criminal acts in our system fare evade.”
Neighboring D.C. decriminalized fare evasion in 2018, with supporters of the move arguing that its enforcement in the city was racially disproportionate. Fare evasion remains a crime in Virginia and Maryland, but in all three jurisdictions the punishment is a fine.
Henderson will be charged w/ fare evasion, carrying concealed firearms, & other charges. MTPD extends gratitude to our officers for keeping illegal weapons out of Metro, & is continuing boosted patrols across the system to reduce fare evasion & keep Metro customers safe. #wmatapic.twitter.com/nb4QVLW3qr
— Metro Transit Police (@MetroTransitPD) May 25, 2023
An Arlington man is in jail after police say he seriously injured two employees at a business.
The alleged incident happened just after 11 a.m. Wednesday, on the 1600 block of N. George Mason Drive. Scanner traffic suggests that the attack happened at a medical office in Virginia Hospital Center and that at least one of the employees was knocked unconscious.
Arlington County police said in a crime report that two employees suffered serious injuries.
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-05240117, 1600 block of N. George Mason Drive. At approximately 11:10 a.m. on May 24, police were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect physically assaulted two employees of the property. He was taken into custody without incident by responding officers. The two employees sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries and were evaluated on scene. [The suspect], 46, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding (x2). He was held without bond.
Map showing the Arlington portions of King Street (via Google Maps)
A 38-year-old Maryland man is in jail after police say he struck and killed a woman with his car last night.
The crash happened around 10 p.m. on the 4800 block of King Street (Route 7), at the Arlington-Alexandria border. A crowd had gathered around the stricken pedestrian, a 71-year-old woman from California, as police arrived on scene, according to a police press release and scanner traffic.
The woman was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead. Police say she was crossing the street when struck by the driver, who was arrested “on suspicion of driving impaired.”
More, below, from an Arlington County police press release.
The Arlington County Police Department is announcing an arrest in a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred on the evening of May 22, 2023. Alvaro Alejandro Pacheco Ramos, 38, of Columbia, MD has been charged with DUI/Involuntary Manslaughter. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
At approximately 10:04 p.m., police were dispatched to the 4800 block of King Street for the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian. The pedestrian was transported to an area hospital and pronounced deceased. She has been identified as Susan Hamlin, 71, of Aptos, CA.
The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the striking vehicle was traveling eastbound on King Street when he struck the pedestrian as she was crossing the roadway. As a result of the on-scene investigation, the driver was taken into custody on suspicion of driving impaired.
This remains an active investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective L. Bello at [email protected] or 703-228-4166. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.
A pair of remarkably similar incidents has landed two Arlington men in jail.
The incidents occurred within an hour of one another early Sunday morning. In each, a drunk man allegedly got in a dispute, brandished or claimed to have a gun, and was subsequently arrested and found to be armed after police were called, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.
Both happened in or in proximity to bars — one in Ballston, shortly after midnight, and another in Clarendon, around 1 a.m.
From ACPD:
RECKLESS HANDLING OF A FIREARM, 2023-05210005, 4100 block of Fairfax Drive. At approximately 12:12 a.m. on May 21, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun inside a business. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect became engaged in a verbal dispute with the victims, during which he allegedly brandished a firearm. The suspect left the scene on foot, was located by responding officers and taken into custody without incident. A search of his person incident to arrest yielded a firearm. The victims did not remain on scene and no injuries were reported. [The suspect], 32, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Public Intoxication and Carrying a Concealed Weapon While Intoxicated.
RECKLESS HANDLING OF A FIREARM, 2023-05210013, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on May 21, police were dispatched to the report of disorderly conduct. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect became involved in a verbal dispute with the victim, during which he allegedly knocked the suspect’s hat off of his head and implied he had a weapon. As responding officers attempted to detain the suspect, he ran from the area and discarded what appeared to be a firearm before being taken into custody. A search of the area yielded a loaded firearm. No injuries were reported. [The suspect], 21, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Assault and Battery, Drunk in Public and Obstruction of Justice.
Also in the crime report, three teens allegedly fired gel pellets at someone inside a business on the 2000 block of Wilson Blvd in Courthouse. That’s the same block as the new Taco Bell Cantina, though the identity business was not revealed by police.
From the crime report:
MISSILE INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING, 2023-05210169, 2000 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 4:13 p.m. on May 21, police were dispatched to the report of disorderly conduct. Upon arrival, it was determined three unknown juvenile suspects discharged gel pellets inside a business, striking one victim. No injuries were reported. The suspects fled the scene on foot and responding officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results.
An ART bus driver suffered serious injuries last night after being assaulted by a rider along Columbia Pike, police say.
The driver was reported to be bleeding from the mouth when police and medics were dispatched to the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Dinwiddie Street just after 10:45 p.m. Sunday. It’s unclear what led to the attack.
The suspect was “leaving a public transit bus when he assaulted the driver,” according to today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Following the assault, the suspect exited the bus and fled the scene on foot. The bus driver sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was treated on scene by medics before being transported to an area hospital.”
Also in today’s crime report, several security guards were hurt at the Pentagon City mall Friday evening after a suspect tried to steal handbags, then fought the security guards and brandished a knife.
The incident happened on the third level of the mall near the entrance to Macy’s, according to scanner traffic.
From ACPD:
ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-04280202, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 6:17 p.m. on April 28, a patrol officer was flagged down by an individual reporting a fight in-progress. Upon arrival, the officer observed loss prevention attempting to detain the suspect and assisted with taking him into custody. The investigation determined the suspect entered the store and allegedly removed handbags from a display case. A loss prevention officer then confronted the suspect who pushed the loss prevention officer to the ground and physically assaulted him before fleeing the area. Two additional loss prevention officers located the suspect outside of the business and attempted to detain him, during which the suspect assaulted them and brandished a knife. Medics evaluated the loss prevention officers on scene for minor injuries. During a search incident to arrest, credit cards not belonging to the suspect were recovered. [The suspect], 30, of Washington, DC, was arrested and charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding, Robbery, Assault and Battery (x2), Credit Card Theft (x3) and Possession of Burglarious Tools.
A 25-year-old man is in jail after he allegedly stabbed a former coworker at a local hotel over the weekend.
The stabbing happened around 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hotel Pentagon, on the 2400 block of S. Glebe Road, near I-395. According to initial reports, a former employee stabbed the hotel manager at least twice, including in the back.
Police arrived and reportedly took the suspect, who was still on scene, into custody at Taser-point.
“The known suspect entered an office inside a business and allegedly physically assaulted Victim One with a knife,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Victim Two attempted to intervene during which he sustained minor injuries.”
“Victim One sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital,” the report continues. “Officers located the suspect on scene, took him into custody and transported him to an area hospital for further evaluation. The investigation revealed the suspect had previously called Victim One and made threatening statements.”
The suspect is facing several charges, including Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Assault and Battery and Threatening Language via Phone, according to ACPD.
