burglary

Garage Burglary Suspects Arrested

By ARLnow.com

Suspects arrested for alleged apartment garage burglaryFour people were arrested last night after they allegedly tried to steal items from cars in an apartment parking garage.

Three males, including a 17-year-old juvenile, entered an apartment building in the Columbia Heights West neighborhood by following a resident through the front door, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. As they entered they put on masks and gloves and went down to the garage, Sternbeck said.

A resident called police around 11:25 p.m. after observing suspicious individuals looking into cars. Police arrived at the building, on the 800 block of S. Greenbrier Street, and arrested the three suspects inside the garage, Sternbeck said.

A woman, who police say was the getaway driver, was later arrested in a van outside the apartment. She apparently didn’t notice the commotion inside the garage because she was talking on her cell phone when the arrests were made, Sternbeck said.

The two adult men — Charles Messiah of Annandale and Kareem Taylor, both 19 — were charged burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One was also charged with resisting arrest.

The female suspect, 19-year-old Ciarra Rice of Lorton, was charged conspiracy to commit burglary.

Sternbeck recommended that residents be mindful of individuals trying to gain access to apartment buildings and secured parking garages. He also commended the resident who alerted police to this incident.

Photos courtesy ACPD

Crime Report: Bungling Burglars Strike Out

By ARLnow.com

Last week a trio of burglars went to a Columbia Pike apartment building looking for big score. They did not find what they were looking for.

On the night of Thursday, Jan. 31, the burglars broke into an apartment only to encounter two residents in the bedroom. They ordered the residents into a bathroom, looked around the apartment, but ended up leaving without taking anything. One of the suspects falsely identified himself as a police officer, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER, 02/01/13, 4300 block of S. Columbia Pike. At 11:20 pm on January 31, three unknown suspects forced entry into an apartment using a crowbar. Two victims were inside a bedroom within the apartment when the subjects entered the home. One of the suspects threatened the victims with the crowbar and ordered them to go into a bathroom. The suspects searched one of the bedrooms, and at one point a suspect identified himself as a police officer. The suspects eventually left, appearing not to take anything with them. Suspect one is described as a 6’2″ tall, 210 lb black male. At the time of the crime he was wearing a gray hoodie, black vest, green pants and black Nike boots. Suspect two is described as a black male between 5’7″ and 5’10” tall. At the time of the incident he was wearing all black snow gear, and had a mustache and goatee. Suspect three is described as a black male, 5’7″-5’10” tall, and wearing all black snow gear.

Police believe the burglars were trying to target a specific apartment, but instead broke into the wrong apartment.

Two days later, police say the same burglars came back to the same apartment building, but broke into a different apartment — the apartment they were trying to target in the first place.

“They were looking for a big score based upon the resident’s occupation,” said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, who declined to reveal additional details. “But they didn’t get it.”

Instead of finding a large sum of cash, or some other item of significant value, the burglars came up almost empty handed. Possibly out of frustration, police say, the thieves took a couple items of negligible value.

As the crime report notes, they also rudely left the door open after they exited the apartment.

BURGLARY, 02/03/13, 4300 block of Columbia Pike. Between 8:30 pm on February 2 and 3:37 am on February 3, an unknown subject(s) forced entry into an apartment and stole several items. The subject(s) also ransacked the apartment and left the door ajar as they exited. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Burglaries Galore

By ARLnow.com

There were numerous burglaries, robberies and stolen vehicles in this week’s Arlington County crime report. Among them were two separate reports of golf clubs stolen from storage units in Courthouse.

BURGLARY, 11/15/12, 1400 block of N. Taft Street. Between October 15 and November 15 at 7:30 pm, an unknown subject(s) broke into a storage unit. The victim reported her golf clubs were missing. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 11/19/12, 1400 block of N. Taft Street. Between August 15 and November 19 at 6:30 pm, an unknown subject(s) cut the Master lock of a storage unit and stole golf clubs. There is no suspect(s) description.

On Monday, a man dressed in a Spandex bicycle suit stole cartons of Newport cigarettes from the CVS Pharmacy in Rosslyn.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/27/12, 1100 block of N. Wilson Boulevard. At 3:50 am on November 26, a suspect broke the glass of the front entrance door of the CVS pharmacy. Once inside, he stole numerous cartons of Newport cigarettes. The suspect is a black male, approximately in his mid 20’s to mid 30’s in age, 6’0″ tall and 180 lbs. He was wearing a spandex bicycle suit, yellow safety vest, brown beanie and white sneakers at the time of the incident.

Last week, someone ruined Christmas by stealing presents from an apartment closet in Ballston.

BURGLARY, 11/26/12, 900 block of N. Stafford Street. Between 5 pm on November 19 and 11 am on November 26, an unknown suspect(s) entered an apartment and stole two shopping bags of assorted Christmas gifts from a closet. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Accusations Lead to Roommate Fight

By ARLnow.com

 

A man is in jail after allegedly beating up his roommate over money.

The incident happened yesterday (Tuesday) evening in the Nauck neighborhood. Police say a knife-wielding man beat up his roommate after accusing the victim of stealing several hundred dollars. Police responded and swarmed the area when a neighbor called police to report seeing the victim bleeding and hunched over outside the house, with the suspect standing by him with a knife in hand.

The victim — who wasn’t actually stabbed, according to police — was treated and released for minor injuries.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 08/21/12, 3600 block of S. Kemper Road. On August 21 at 4:35 pm, two roommates got into a dispute over money and a physical altercation ensued. One of the roommates pulled a knife and beat up the victim roommate, who had to be transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Jose Alejandro Mendez Cruz, 19, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding. He was held without bond.

On Sunday morning, meanwhile, a suspect cut a hole in the metal security gate of a Pentagon City store and stole $28 in loose change. Police say the suspect could have gotten away with much more — $700 in cash was sitting next to one of the registers.

BURGLARY, 08/20/12, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. Between 9:40 pm on August 19 and 9:40 am on August 20, an unknown subject(s) cut a hole in a metal security gate and entered a business, opting to steal approximately $28 in loose change instead of the $700 in cash next to the register. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of this weeks’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: ‘I See What You Did There’ Edition

By ARLnow.com

A burglar broke into a store in the Courthouse area this past weekend and made off with a pair of laptops. But it’s the other item that he or she took that seems to suggest a level of trickiness beyond the capabilities of your run-of-the-mill criminal.

BURGLARY (COMMERCIAL), 08/12/12, 2400 block of Wilson Boulevard. Between 2 and 9:30 am on August 12, an unknown subject(s) kicked in the front door of a business and stole two laptops and the store surveillance equipment. There is no suspect(s) description.

Elsewhere, someone broke into a medical office and swiped several items, including blank prescription pads. The office is located on the same block as Virginia Hospital Center.

BURGLARY, 08/09/12, 1600 block of N. George Mason Drive. Between 7:15 pm on August 8 and 7:51 am on August 9, an unknown subject(s) entered a locked office and stole various items to include cash, laptops, blank prescription pads and sample prescription packs. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: With Friends Like These Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, items were stolen from a house in the Ballston area after a juvenile house sitter invited friends over.

BURGLARY, 07/22/12, 4100 block of N. 11th Place. On July 22 at 8:54 pm, a male juvenile reported several items missing from the place he was house-sitting. The juvenile had invited friends over and realized once they left that a laptop, camera and money had been taken. Police are investigating.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Police Arrest Two Men During Alleged Burglary

By Katie Pyzyk

Police activity had residents in Lyon Village on alert this morning. As it turns out, two men were nabbed on suspicion of burglary — while the alleged act was taking place.

Just before 9:00 a.m., police responded to a house near the intersection of Key Boulevard and N. Highland Street for a report of a burglary in progress. Officers and a K-9 unit surrounded the house while the suspects were still inside. Police were able to safely enter the home and take both men into custody a short time later.

Police temporarily blocked off traffic in the area during the incident. One of the suspects was later taken to the hospital for some sort of a facial injury.

Both suspects will be charged with burglary, according to Arlington County police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Right now, it’s unclear if they may have been targeting a specific item inside the home.

Crime Report: Police Impersonation Edition

By ARLnow.com

A man impersonating a police officer stole cash from a man’s wallet last week after asking to see his identification and vehicle registration. From the latest Arlington County crime report:

IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER, 02/25/12, 3700 block of N Lee Highway. Just prior to noon on February 24, an unknown subject impersonated a police officer and stole $160 cash from a man’s wallet after asking to see identification and vehicle registration. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 45 years old, 5’9″ tall, with an average build. The suspect was reportedly driving a black convertible Ford Mustang.

Also last week, a burglar entered a residence and stole gear belong to a U.S. Park Police officer.

BURGLARY, 02/25/12, 2100 block of S. 26th Street. Between 10 pm on February 24, and 4 am on February 25, an unknown subject entered a residence and stole various items. Stolen items included a laptop, iPad and U.S. Park Police issued duty gear. There is no suspect description.

The rest of this week’s crime report, along with a previously-reported police impersonation home invasion, after the jump.

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Man Found Guilty of Raping Arlington Woman While She Slept

By ARLnow.com

A man is facing a possible 93-year prison sentence after being found guilty of raping an Arlington woman while she slept.

D.C. resident Ronald P. Berton, 37, was accused of crimes against two young Arlington women in 2008 and 2010. On Sept. 26, 2010, prosecutors say Berton entered unlocked first-floor apartment on the 2500 block of 20th Street N., where he found a woman sleeping. Berton raped the woman then stole items from the apartment and fled the scene. The woman, who had been drinking that night, did not wake up during the rape, but later woke up and found a condom next to her.

Arlington County Police used DNA to link Berton to a previous crime. According to prosecutors, Berton entered a Colonial Village apartment on the morning of Sept. 10, 2008. He took a meat cleaver from the kitchen, then went to the bedroom where a woman was sleeping. Berton forced the woman to remain in the bed while he exposed himself and masturbated, prosecutors said. He then stole items from the apartment and fled.

Police were able to link Berton to the 2008 crime via DNA left on the knife.

Yesterday a jury found Berton guilty on charges of rape, forcible sodomy, burglary and abduction with the intent to defile. Today the jury recommended a sentence of 93 years. His formal sentencing before an Arlington County Circuit Court judge is scheduled for April 6.

“We believe this was a dangerous predator who came to Arlington to prey on the young women of our community,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Clarke, who prosecuted the case along with fellow Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Cari Steel. “The police did a great job of linking these two cases, so we were successful in getting these convictions.”

Crime Report: Church Burglary Edition

By ARLnow.com

Someone had the nerve to break into the Greenbrier Baptist Church and steal a laptop last week, according to the latest Arlington County crime report.

BURGLARY, 01/05/12, 5400 block of S. 7th Road. Between 7:30 pm on January 4, and 6:20 am on January 5, an unknown subject entered through a basement window of a local church. A laptop computer was stolen. There is no suspect description.

Also last week, someone was bold enough to break into at least five vehicles in the Pentagon City mall parking garage in the middle of the day.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (SERIES), 01/04/11, 800 block of Army Navy Drive. On January 4 between 9 am and 1:30 pm, an unknown subject broke into at least five vehicles in a mall parking garage. Various items were stolen. There is no suspect description.

The rest of this week’s shorter-than-usual crime report, after the jump.

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Busy Christmas Day for Arlington Police

By ARLnow.com

Sunday was a busier-than-usual Christmas Day for Arlington County police.

Among the incidents reported: a police cruiser window was smashed, a Courthouse area business was broken into and a gas station was robbed at gunpoint. All three incidents resulted in arrests.

From the ACPD daily crime report:

DOMESTIC ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 12/25/11, 5600 block of S. 7th Rd. On December 25 at 1 am, a man assaulted his wife. He was extremely disorderly during arrest and kicked out the window of a police cruiser. Carlos Villatoro, 30, of Arlington, was charged with Felony Destruction of Property, Domestic Assault and Battery, Possession of Marijuana and Curse and Abuse. He was held without bond.

BURGLARY-ARREST, 12/25/11, 2300 block of Wilson Blvd. On December 25 at 7 am, two men were seen breaking into a business. They were apprehended at the scene by police. Mohamed Alim, 19, of Alexandria, and Adil Gour, 19, of Fairfax, were both charged with Burglary. They were held without bond.

ROBBERY-ARREST, 12/25/11, 4100 block of Four Mile Run Dr. On December 25 at 12:15 pm, a man entered a gas station and robbed the cashier of money an cigarettes while brandishing a handgun. The suspect then fled in a while that a second person was driving. Both suspects were apprehended by police. Liban Jama, 23, of Arlington, was charged with Armed Robbery and Use of Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. Earl Brown, 27, of Arlington, was charged with Armed Robbery. They were both held without bond.

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