burglary

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Named Top Digital County Again — “Arlington County is the No. 1 digital county in the nation for a third straight year. The Center for Digital Government and National Association of Counties 2018 award recognizes Arlington for its best technology practices in areas of open government, transparency, public engagement, planning, cyber security and operations.” [Arlington County]

Robbery in Courthouse — Two men reportedly robbed the Dunkin’ Donuts on Wilson Blvd in Courthouse yesterday evening. The men demanded money and fled the scene with cash but did not display any weapons during the robbery, according to initial reports. [Twitter]

Kaine to Campaign in Arlington Today — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) tonight “will host a ‘Neighbor to Neighbor’ community conversation in Arlington to engage Northern Virginia voters on the critical issues facing our country and take their questions.” The event is taking place at the Barcroft Park Picnic Shelter (4200 S. Four Mile Run Drive) at 6:30 p.m.

Britney Spears Touches Down in Arlington — Britney Spears arrived at Reagan National Airport ahead of the kick off of her summer tour. Photos and video show her walking through the terminal with a small entourage. [Daily Mail]

Arlington to Pay to Help Retain Federal Tenant — “Arlington taxpayers will be on the hook for nearly $8 million over 10 years to subsidize a lease that will retain the Office of Naval Research in the county. County Board members on July 14 are expected to approve an incentive package that will keep the federal agency in its current 314,000 square feet of office space in Ballston.” [InsideNova]

Suspect Hailed Cab After Pike Burglary — “A burglar made his getaway from a scene in Arlington by hailing a taxi, according to officials. The Arlington County Police Department said the burglar targeted a business in the 3100 block of Columbia Pike near the Westmont neighborhood at about 10:25 a.m. on Sunday.” [Fox 5 DC]

George Mason Drive Detour — A “small detour” will be in place this weekend on N. George Mason Drive “as crews above remove the old half still remaining from the soon-to-be-replaced Carlin Springs Road Bridge.” [Twitter]

White Ford Bronco Profiled — Prolific local 90s cover band White Ford Bronco is the subject of a newspaper profile that dubs it the “undisputed king of D.C. cover bands.” The profile recounts that “at a recent concert at the Clarendon Ballroom, guys in button-down shirts and Birkenstocks pumped their fists to the chorus of ‘Mr. Jones.'” [Washington Post]

Metrobus Delays This Morning — Metrobus passengers reported delays and missed routes this morning, which WMATA says was the result of “bus operators reporting late to work as part of a collective labor action by their union.” [Twitter, WTOP]

‘Strange’ Burglary Leaves Arlington Forest Cafe Owners Puzzled

By Alex Koma
1/3

The unusual overnight burglary of an Arlington Forest coffee shop has left its owners scratching their heads about what prompted the theft.

Employees at the Sense of Place Cafe, located at 4807 1st Street N. just off Arlington Blvd, arrived early this morning (Wednesday) to discover the glass in their front door smashed in and the cash register emptied. Co-owner Kay Kim expects the thieves made off with about $150 in all.

However, Kim was puzzled that the burglars left the restaurant’s expensive espresso machines untouched, and showed no interest in the iPad the cafe uses for customer orders.

Yet her notebook full of recipes and notes on the precise way to roast various types of coffee beans, one of her most prized possessions, is missing. She stored it in a desk drawer in the cafe’s back office, and she expects only someone intimately familiar with the store would know to look for it.

“It makes us feel like the target wasn’t money,” said Anna Seo, Kim’s niece and an employee at the store. “It’s all very strange.”

Neither Kim nor her sister and co-owner, Kim Seo, can think of any former employees who might’ve harbored a grudge after leaving the cafe, which has been open for just over a year now. Arlington County police spokeswoman Kirby Clark said the department is investigating the incident, but doesn’t have any description of the suspect (or suspects) just yet.

“This has never happened before and we never thought about it,” Kim Seo said. “This area in Arlington was supposed to be pretty safe. It’s very weird and scary.”

Nevertheless, she says the business is open as normal, even if it is still missing the glass from its front door.

Anna Seo notes that the whole incident “could’ve been much worse,” all things considered. But she is still frustrated that her aunt would lose so much hard work, so suddenly.

“Each of our roasts change, based on the season and the temperature, and she had that all written down,” she said. “Now, she’ll basically have to start from scratch.”

Crime Report: Police Searching for Three Men in Connection with Alleged Mob Assault

By Alex Koma

Arlington County Police are looking for three men who they believe teamed up to assault a man near a Clarendon dog park early Sunday morning.

Police say a man was walking along N. Herndon Street at its intersection with 13th Street N. early Sunday morning (May 6) near the James Hunter Dog Park, when “three slim, light-skinned South Asian” men accosted him because they believed he was attempting to break into their car, according to a crime report.

One of the three men “grabbed an object the victim was carrying and threw it at him, causing a laceration,” police say. Spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow that the police department’s homicide/robbery unit is investigating the incident as a “malicious wounding by mob,” and is still searching for the suspects.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2018-05060043, N. Herndon Street at 13th Street N. At approximately 2:13 a.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of an unknown situation. Upon arrival, it was determined that the male victim was walking in the area attempting to locate his vehicle, when three unknown male suspects approached the victim and accused him of attempting to break into their vehicle, which the victim was standing near. The victim walked away from the vehicle and the suspects continued yelling profanities at him. One suspect then grabbed an object the victim was carrying and threw it at him, causing a laceration. The three suspects then fled the scene in a vehicle prior to police arrival. The suspects are described as three slim, light-skinned South Asian, possibly Indian males, all in their mid 20’s with black hair. One suspect was wearing a black tank top. The vehicle is described as a dark gray or black Toyota Prius, possibly with Maryland license plates. Arriving officers canvassed the area with negative results. The investigation is ongoing.

The incident was one of three “malicious woundings” reported on May 6.

More on those incidents, and other highlights from the ACPD weekly crime report — including some that we’ve already reported — after the jump.

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Man Arrested for Sneaker Store Arson and Burglary

By Bridget Reed Morawski

(Updated on 12/23/21 at 11 a.m.) An arrest has been made in connection to the sneaker store arson and burglary on Columbia Pike last Friday (April 13).

[Name redacted], 44, of no fixed address, has been charged with arson, arson while committing a felony, burglary, and grand larceny.

He was arrested while “walking in the area of Columbia Pike at S. Walter Reed Drive,” according to police, at about 4 a.m. this morning (April 19).

Legends Kicks & Apparel, the business that was burglarized and set alight, is approximately 360 feet from where the suspected arsonist was arrested.

Patrol officers observed [redacted] and noted that he matched the suspect’s description, according to the Arlington County Police Department. [Redacted] was “found to be in possession of an item of value allegedly belonging to the victim business,” according to an ACPD press release.

On Tuesday (April 17), police released a video showing the suspect walking along Columbia Pike and spilling merchandise along the sidewalk.

[Redacted] is being held without bond.

Police: Burglars Stole Prescription Drugs

By ARLnow.com

Two men broke into a Lee Highway pharmacy and stole an unspecified quantity of prescription drugs, according to police.

The burglary was reported early Monday morning at the Walgreens at 3130 Lee Highway. The store was closed for a period of time while police investigated, a tipster told ARLnow.com.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BURGLARY, 2018-01290031, 3100 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 5:56 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a burglary just discovered. Upon arrival, it was determined that two unknown suspects forced entry into a business and stole prescription drugs. Suspect One is described as a black male, between the ages of 25-35, approximately 6’0-6’5, with an athletic build, wearing a black sweatshirt with a grey hood, black pants, white shoes and a black mask. Suspect Two is described as a black male, between the ages of 25-35, approximately 6’0-6’5, with an athletic build, wearing a black jacket/sweatshirt with a black hood, black pants and tan gloves. The investigation is ongoing.

Photo via Google Maps

Crime Report: Resident Finds Sunglasses-Wearing Man Hiding in Closet

By ARLnow.com

An East Falls Church resident returned home early this past Tuesday morning, only to be surprised to find a burglar hiding in the closet.

Upon being discovered, the man — who was wearing sunglasses and a mask — jumped out of the closet and fled on foot.

The resident did not report the incident to police until the afternoon. More from this week’s ACPD crime report:

BURGLARY (late), 2017-11140143, 6300 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 1:13 p.m. on November 14, police were dispatched to the late report of a breaking and entering. Upon arrival, it was determined that upon returning to the residence at approximately 4:00 a.m., the victim located an unknown suspect hiding inside a closet. Upon being located, the suspect fled the scene on foot. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male with light brown skin, approximately 5’5, wearing black sunglasses, a black mask, a black jacket, blue jeans, gloves, and socks. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Fugitive Arrested After Failed Burglary

By ARLnow.com

A woman, wanted with a rap sheet, was arrested last week for a failed burglary along Columbia Pike.

Police say the suspect broke into a business on the 4600 block of Columbia Pike — home to a restaurant, a gas station, a market and an auto shop — but then “was unsuccessful in removing items.”

Police arrested her after responding to a call about a suspicious person around 1 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BURGLARY, 2017-09070016, 4600 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on September 7, officers responded to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, officers located a female suspect on the property in possession of burglarous tools. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect forced entry into the business but was unsuccessful in removing items. Talisha Braxton, 24, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with Burglary, Possession of Burglarous Tools, Destruction of Property, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, and Fugitive from Justice. She was held on no bond.

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

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Police Investigating Crystal City Office Burglary

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A man of short stature walked into a Crystal City office building, stole a purse, and almost immediately starting using the victim’s credit cards, according to police.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating the burglary, which happened Monday at the Consumer Technology Association in Crystal City. The department released surveillance camera images of the suspect at ARLnow.com’s request.

“At approximately 2:30 p.m. on August 14, police were dispatched the 1900 block of S. Eads Street for the report of a grand larceny,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Upon arrival, the victim reported that between 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., her purse had been stolen from her cubicle and her credit cards had been fraudulently used.”

“During the investigation, several employees reported seeing a suspicious male subject in the building,” Savage continued. “The subject is described as a black male, between 40 and 50 years old, approximately 4 ft tall and weighing 130 lbs. He was wearing dark clothing at the time. The investigation is ongoing.”

An employee who works at the association said the man “walked right into our building and stole a purse from someone’s desk,” then “immediately began using her credit cards at a gas station on Route 1 and then later in D.C.”

“It is very frightening that someone is going around to different office buildings like this!” the employee said.

Crime Report: Business Burglarized in Ballston

By Chris Teale

Someone broke into a business on N. Glebe Road in Ballston over the weekend and stole items of value, Arlington police said in a crime report.

Police said the burglar broke into the building on the 600 block of N. Glebe Road at some point between 11 a.m. July 1 and 7 a.m. July 3. Officers have no description of the suspect.

A police spokesman declined to specify which business was robbed. The block is home to a Harris Teeter grocery store, a Mercedes-Benz car dealership and an auto repair shop.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department report:

BURGLARY, 2017-07030047, 600 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 7:26 a.m. on July 3, officers responded to the report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined between 11:00 a.m. on July 1 and 7:00 a.m. on July 3, an unknown subject(s) forced entry into a building and stole items of value. There is no subject(s) description.

The rest of this past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Early Morning Antics in Ballston Store

By Katie Pyzyk

Two men made an early morning entry into a department store on the 700 block of Glebe Road in Ballston.

This morning just before 4 a.m., police responded to a burglar alarm at the property and found that two men had entered the store. The suspects fled shortly after police arrived.

Although police do not release the names of affected businesses, Macy’s is the only remaining department store on that block while the Ballston mall undergoes renovation.

It doesn’t appear that the suspects took any items. More from the ACPD crime report:

UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2017-04190032, 700 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 3:47 a.m. on April 19, officers responded to an audible burglary alarm. Upon arrival, it was determined two unknown male subjects entered a business. The subjects then fled the scene on foot shortly after. No items appear to be missing. The first subject is described as a black male, with a slim to medium build and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. The second subject is described as a black male, with a slim to medium build and was wearing a dark shirt. The investigation is ongoing.

More highlights from this week’s relatively thin crime report, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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Resident Barricaded Herself in Bedroom As Knife-Wielding Burglar Tried to Get In

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)A burglary last night led in some very scary moments for a Fort Myer Heights resident.

The break-in happened just after 7:30 p.m., at an apartment building on the 1300 block of Fort Myer Drive.

“An unknown subject entered a female victim’s residence,” according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The female victim was in a bedroom at the time and heard noises originating from the kitchen. The victim believed the subject retrieved a knife from the kitchen as he made his way towards her location.”

“The subject then tried to force his way into the bedroom but was unsuccessful in gaining entry,” the crime report continues. “The subject fled the scene shortly after. A K9 track of the area returned with negative results.”

The only description the victim was able to give officers was that the suspect was wearing gray shoes. Police say the investigation is ongoing.

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