burglary

Florida woman faces litany of charges after reported break-in and standoff

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

(Updated at 4 p.m.) A Florida resident is facing 19 separate charges after police responded to a residential break-in yesterday.

Police were first dispatched to a home on N. Powhatan Street, in the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls neighborhood, around 4 p.m. for a reported burglary in progress. It’s unclear how that incident ended, but officers responded back to the same block just over three hours later and a standoff ensued.

“At approximately 7:23 p.m., police were dispatched to the 2300 block of N. Powhatan Street for the report of suspicious circumstances,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, the incident was determined to be a burglary in progress. Responding officers gave the female suspect commands to exit the residence which she refused to comply with and remained inside.”

Neighbors took note of the activity, with someone posting on the Ring Neighbors website that “ACPD currently has about 5 squad cars and 5+ officers standing outside a residence holding the door at gunpoint.”

“Officers continued to provide commands and subsequently took the suspect into custody,” Savage said. “She was taken into custody at approximately 8:49 p.m.”

Officers were subsequently dispatched to the home for evidence collection and scene security.

The suspect, Vivian Vann, is being held at the Arlington County jail on an array of charges, with alleged crimes in Arlington starting on Sept. 18.

“During a search of her property, police recovered identifications, credit cards and other documents related to fraudulent activity,” an ACPD crime report released Thursday afternoon added. “The investigation also determined the suspect had allegedly entered a residence in the 1400 block of S. Quincy Street.”

According to court and jail records, the charges against Vann include:

  • Grand larceny auto (x2)
  • Forging public records (x4)
  • Obtaining money or property >=$1,000 by false pretenses
  • Impersonating a law enforcement officer
  • Identity theft (x3)
  • Identity theft with over $1,000 in losses and 5+ victims, resulting in the arrest of a victim
  • Unlawful entry
  • Burglary
  • Credit card forgery
  • Procuring a vehicle with intent to defraud
  • Manufacturing, selling and/or possessing fake identification (x2)
  • Financially exploiting a mentally incapacitated person

Vann — listed as a resident of Dania Beach, Florida — is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 18, after an arraignment today.

News articles and court records show that she has faced a variety of theft, identity theft and fraud charges in Florida and elsewhere dating back to 2003 and as recently as 2022.

Hat tip to Matthew Young

Three nabbed during early morning high school burglary

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A few kids got an early start to the school year by allegedly burglarizing Yorktown High School.

A burglar alarm alerted police to the break-in early Monday morning, just after midnight, ahead of the first day of the school year.

“Upon arrival, it was determined three juvenile suspects entered the building and were possibly still located inside,” said the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.

“Officers established a perimeter during which two suspects exited the building,” the crime report continued. “During the course of the investigation, officers were able to make phone contact with the third suspect who subsequently exited the building. The suspects were searched and stolen property was recovered. The juvenile suspects were referred to a deferral program.”

The burglary followed another bout of back-to-school teen shenanigans last week, when a group of kids tried to abscond with Ronald McDonald from the McDonald’s at 4834 Langston Blvd. Police also arrived promptly and foiled that alleged theft attempt.

Police investigating burglary at Clarendon gun store

By ARLnow.com
Nova Armory in Clarendon had their door smashed in an attempted burglary (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County police responded to a break-in at Nova Armory early this morning.

The Metro-accessible gun store at 2607 Wilson Blvd had its front door “smashed in” by a suspect, setting off a loud alarm. The suspect reportedly took items but not any guns — the retailer takes weapons off shelves and stores them securely at night.

“At approximately 1:48 a.m. on August 22, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary just occurred,” said today’s ACPD crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect forced entry into the business by smashing a glass door. The suspect then rummaged through the interior of the store before fleeing the scene with stolen items.”

“No firearms were reported stolen,” an Arlington police spokesperson told ARLnow.

Officers searched the area for the suspect but could not locate him. Police were called to the store later today to retrieve video surveillance footage.

“This is an active and ongoing investigation and our detectives are reviewing all the information available to them to identify the suspect in this case,” said the ACPD spokesperson. “We encourage anyone who may have information regarding the incident to contact police.”

Nova Armory was previously burglarized at its former Lyon Park location. In 2022, after moving to Clarendon earlier in the year, a Nova Armory employee chased down an alleged thief who tried to run off with a gun. In March of this year a ski mask-wearing man robbed the store of a gun and ammunition but was arrested on a bus soon thereafter, according to police.

D.C. man arrested, facing new charges in sexual assault case

By ARLnow.com
Break-in and sexual assault suspect (photos courtesy ACPD, photo composition by ARLnow)

A 34-year-old D.C. man was arrested last month in a high-profile Arlington sexual assault case.

Police say they suspect Geremy Bridgeforth is the man who broke into a woman’s apartment in Virginia Square on April 2 and sexually assaulted her. That attack was followed by a subsequent early-morning apartment break-in on April 12, in Courthouse, in which the victim was touched inappropriately.

Blurry surveillance photos of the suspect were released by police a few days later.

In an update in the case Thursday afternoon, Arlington County police announced additional charges against Bridgeforth, who according to court records was arrested on July 14.

Following a comprehensive criminal investigation, the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is announcing charges have been obtained in the April 2 incident in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood. Geremy Bridgeforth, 34, of Washington D.C. is charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder/Rape/Robbery and Object Sexual Penetration. During the course of the investigation, detectives determined that between April 1 and April 2, the suspect entered additional residences in the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive and stole property. He was charged with Burglary (x2), Credit Card Theft (x2), Credit Card Fraud (x2) and Petit Larceny related to those offenses. Additionally, Mr. Bridgeforth was charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder/Rape/Robbery and Aggravated Sexual Battery in the April 12 incident in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

Bridgeforth has a number of prior arrests and convictions in Arlington dating between 2015-2021, according to court records, for crimes including fare evasion, trespassing and indecent exposure. Most recently he served a net two months in jail on the 2021 indecent exposure charges, court records suggest.

Multiple residents told ARLnow at the time that the Courthouse break-ins followed the installation of new smart locks, which some claimed would leave apartment doors open even when an app said it was locked.

NEW: Girl sexually assaulted by intruder, police say

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A girl was sexually assaulted by a man who broke into her home in the Ashton Heights neighborhood early this morning, according to police.

The incident happened around 1 a.m. on the 300 block of N. Glebe Road.

Arlington County police say the intruder touched the girl inappropriately but ended up fleeing after she kicked him and then refused to leave with him.

More, below, from an ACPD press release.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is investigating a sexual assault which occurred during a residential burglary in the 300 block of N. Glebe Road.

At approximately 6:58 a.m. on August 2, police were dispatched to the report of suspicious circumstances. The preliminary investigation indicates that approximately 1:04 a.m., the juvenile female victim was awoken after the suspect gained entry into her residence and touched her inappropriately. The victim kicked the suspect and he left the scene. The suspect returned a short time later, attempted to convince the victim to leave with him and fled the scene after she refused.

The suspect is described as a White and/or Hispanic male, 25 – 45 years old, with dark hair and wearing a white shirt and light-colored shorts.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective McGuire at 703-228-4173 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.

This is the second local incident of a juvenile victim being touched inappropriately in the past few days. A boy was sexually abused on a trail near Kenmore Middle School on Sunday morning.

ACPD: After breaking into car, would-be thief opens home’s garage door

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A would-be thief or thieves used the electronic opener inside a car they rummaged through to open a home’s garage door, according to police.

The incident happened early Tuesday morning on the 2500 block of Military Road, near Cherrydale.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report, below.

BURGLARY, 2023-06270025, 2500 block of Military Road. At approximately 2:28 a.m. on June 27, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect(s) gained entry into two of the victim’s vehicles, rummaged through the interiors and utilized a garage door opener to open the garage. No items were reported damaged or stolen from the garage or vehicles. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

In June 2021, Arlington police warned that they were seeing a rise in home and vehicle thefts that occur overnight when suspects find garage door openers in unlocked cars. The department said at the time that it assigned additional officers to north Arlington neighborhoods, where the crimes were taking place, adding that they arrested a group of suspects on the first night of deployment.

JUST IN: Police trying to identify suspect in Va. Square break-in and sexual assault

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A man broke into a woman’s apartment in Virginia Square early this morning and sexually assaulted her.

That’s according to a press release just issued by the Arlington County Police Department.

The break-in happened on the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive, which corresponds with the address of the Quincy Plaza apartment tower. After sexually assaulting the resident, the man fled on foot.

The suspect remains at large and police are asking for the public’s help in identifying him. The press release, however, only included a vague description of the man and no surveillance image.

From ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a residential burglary with sexual assault which occurred in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood.

At approximately 4:15 a.m. on April 2, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted rape in the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect gained entry into the female victim’s residence, entered her bedroom and sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene on foot. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately in his mid-20’s, wearing dark clothing.

This remains an active investigation. Anyone with information regarding the identity of this individual, details surrounding the incident, and/or home surveillance that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Detective J. McGrath (703-228-4244 or [email protected]) or Detective C. Oesterling (703-228-4241 or [email protected]) of the Special Victims Unit. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Ballston backpack and booze burglar busted

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Police arrested a man after a somewhat unusual burglary in Ballston yesterday evening.

The burglary happened shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, on the 900 block of N. Stuart Street, which corresponds with the Meridian at Ballston Commons apartment building.

Police say a sleeping resident woke up to find someone rummaging through his bedroom.

“The victim yelled at the suspect [who then] fled the scene on foot with the victim’s backpack and alcohol,” said today’s Arlington County police crime report. “Responding officers located the suspect in the area and took him into custody without incident. During a search of the suspect’s person incident to arrest, credit cards and other personal belongings of the victim were located.”

A 19-year-old D.C. man was arrested and charged with burglary and four counts of credit card theft, police said.

Argument in Ballston ends with man arrested on gun and drug charges

By ARLnow.com
Police respond to fight that ended with an arrest on gun charges (via Dave Statter)

A Falls Church man allegedly placed his gun in a flowerbox and asked someone to watch it in the midst of an argument in Ballston.

The incident happened around 9 p.m. Saturday along Wilson Blvd, in front of Ballston Quarter mall.

“The male victim had exited a business when the male suspect approached and began acting disorderly,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “The suspect and victim became involved in a verbal dispute, during which the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim and made threatening statements.”

“The victim then walked away and the suspect removed a firearm from his person, placed it into a flowerbox and asked a witness to watch it before reapproaching the victim,” the crime report continued. “Responding officers took the suspect into custody without incident and during a search of his person incident to arrest, located suspected narcotics.”

During the incident 911 callers reported a man with a gun, prompting a large police response. The argument and the response were both caught on camera and posted on Twitter by local public safety watcher Dave Statter.

The suspect, a 32-year-old man from Falls Church whose first name is Justice, “was arrested and charged with Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Concealing a Weapon, Assault & Battery, Possession of Schedule I/II Controlled Substance, Possession of Schedule I/II Controlled Substance while Possessing a Firearm, and Drunk in Public,” the crime report said. “He was held without bond.”

Also in today’s crime report, a 59-year-old man has been charged with burglary and destruction of property after a series of business break-ins in the Virginia Square and Ballston area.

The suspect was out on bond but wanted for violating pretrial conditions, court records show. He was previously arrested in 2021 for assault and in February 2022 for allegedly throwing a brick through the window of Olive Lebanese Eatery in Ballston, stealing $50 in cash and causing thousands of dollars in damage, as we previously reported.

Our previous reporting also noted that the suspect was wanted at the time for violating the conditions of an earlier release.

More from the crime report:

BURGLARY, 2023-02200040/02200044/02200051, 3800 block of Fairfax Drive/4300 block of Fairfax Drive/4300 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 4:15 a.m. on February 20, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary alarm in the 3800 block of Fairfax Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect allegedly forced entry into the business and tampered with two cash registers before fleeing the scene on foot. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect forced entry into businesses in the 4300 block of Fairfax Drive and the 4300 block of Wilson Boulevard, rummaged through items and tampered with safes. Officers located the suspect in the area and took him into custody without incident. Steven Pugh, 59, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Burglary (x2) and Destruction of Property (x2).

Smash and grab theft at Pentagon City mall jewelry store

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A man armed with a hammer smashed and stole from a jewelry store in the Pentagon City mall Thursday morning.

Arlington County police say they were dispatched to the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street around 11:15 a.m. and arrived to find that “an unknown male subject [had] walked into the business, smashed the display cases with a hammer and stole jewelry.”

Officers searched the area but couldn’t find the suspect, who was wearing a black hooded jacket, face covering and ball cap.

While police don’t typically reveal the names of businesses that are the victims of crimes, on social media it was reported that the store was the Kay Jewelers, on the first level of the mall near Nordstrom.

Arlington detectives honored for recovering $89,000 of stolen goods

By Matt Blitz
Detectives Parsons and Galiatsos honored by a national task force for organized retail crime (Image via Twitter/ACPD)

Two Arlington County detectives are being recognized for leading an investigation that led to $89,000 of stolen merchandise being recovered.

The TJX National Task Force for Organized Retail Crime, formed by the parent company that owns department store TJ Maxx, honored Arlington detectives Tim Parsons and Diane Galiatsos earlier this week for their part in arresting a man and recovering tens of thousands of dollars of stolen property.

In December, police got a tip from the task force about an employee stealing merchandise from a business on the 1100 block of S. Joyce Street in Pentagon City, ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage tells ARLnow.

Perhaps not coincidentally, that’s the same block as the T.J. Maxx in Pentagon City, though ACPD typically does not reveal the identity of businesses that have been victims of crimes.

A police investigation was launched and resulted in an employee being arrested and charged with embezzlement and larceny with the intent to sell. The police recovered $89,000 of merchandise.

The case remains active and in the court system, notes Savage.

“Det. Parsons and Det. Galiatsos are an inspiration to your organization. The professionalism and participation put forth in this case sets an example for other Law Enforcement Agencies to follow,” the award reads. “With the highly impactful nature of this case and the quick closure, we at TJX are very thankful for the ongoing partnership with the Arlington County Police Department.”

Organized retail crime is defined as two or more persons illegally obtaining retail merchandise in large quantities as “part of an unlawful commercial enterprise,” according to Loss Prevention Magazine.

Since police statistics do not specifically track organized retail crime, Savage said she could not provide ARLnow with data about its prevalence in Arlington. However, last year the county experienced a wave of a crime, with a seemingly organized group of burglars breaking into numerous cash-based local businesses to steal money and items.

Besides TJX, ACPD also partners with the Mid Atlantic Organized Retail Crime Alliance (MAORCA) to share information on these types of crime in the region.

View More Stories