carjacking

Police Investigating Carjacking in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Another carjacking has been reported in Arlington.

The crime happened around 2:30 a.m. Monday in Pentagon City. Police say a group of five suspects jumped a man who was standing outside his vehicle, then started to drive off with it, dragging him for “a short distance” in the process.

The victim suffered minor injuries, police said.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

CARJACKING, 2020-12280012, 1400 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 2:34 a.m. on December 28, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was outside of his vehicle when a group of five suspects approached him and began asking for a ride. The suspects surrounded the victim, at which point they grabbed the keys to the vehicle from the victim and assaulted him. The suspects entered the vehicle and the victim attempted to pull one suspect out of the driver’s seat unsuccessfully. The suspects then began to drive away, dragging the victim a short distance and fled the area prior to police arrival. The victim sustained minor injuries during the incident and was transported to an area hospital. The vehicle is described as a red 2020 Kia Optima with Florida license plate LKUP10. Suspect One is described as a Black male, wearing a black balaclava, red jacket, black shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. Suspect Two is described as a Black male, wearing a black jacket, black pants, and brown boots. Suspect Three is described as a Black male, wearing a black jacket, dark jeans, sneakers and a black hoodie. Suspect Four is described as a Black male wearing a black hoodie, dark jeans, and red sneakers. Suspect Five is described as a male wearing a black jacket, black pants and black shoes. The investigation is ongoing.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Minivan-Driving Felon Facing Charges After Dramatic Traffic Stop

By ARLnow.com

A felon driving a minivan with allegedly stolen plates was pulled over Saturday night along northbound I-395.

The traffic stop just before the 14th Street Bridge involved a small fleet of Arlington County Police and Virginia State Police cruisers and was caught on video. The highway was blocked while the incident played out.

In a crime report today, ACPD said the suspect had a concealed weapon in the vehicle and did not have a driver’s license. He is facing a number of charges.

WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2020-11280126, I-395 at Washington Boulevard. At approximately 8:45 p.m. on November 28, police received a License Plate Reader alert for a vehicle traveling with stolen license plates. Officers observed the vehicle and, with the assistance of Virginia State Police, conducted a traffic stop. During the course of the investigation, officers determined the driver was suspended and recovered a concealed weapon. Erich McDonald, 45, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Felon in Possession of a Concealed Weapon, Receiving Stolen Goods and No Operator’s License. He was held on no bond.

Also in today’s crime report, another armed carjacking was reported. The crime happened on Thanksgiving afternoon in the Crystal City area.

CARJACKING, 2020-11260081, 2000 block of S. Fern Street. At approximately 1:51 p.m. on November 26, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim parked and exited her vehicle, then observed the male suspect walk past her. The victim walked away from her vehicle, then returned to retrieve her belongings. As she re-approached the vehicle, the suspect turned around and ran towards her. The suspect displayed a firearm and demanded the victim’s keys. The suspect took the victim’s keys and fled in her vehicle prior to police arrival. The unoccupied vehicle was later recovered in Prince George’s County, MD. The suspect is described as a Black male in his 40’s, medium build, approximately 5’8″, wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, mirrored glasses, with short hair. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

It’s October — And just like that, September is over and October has started. October has been deemed Affordable Housing Month in Arlington County.

Cool Month on Tap? — “After a fast shift to autumn in September, we anticipate the coolest October since 2015 along with a healthy dose of rainfall. Our forecast is for Washington’s average October temperature to fall within 2 degrees of normal. Remarkably, the past four Octobers have each been at least 3 degrees above normal.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Local Hotels Still Hurting — “Arlington’s hotel-occupancy rate in July was just 24 percent, with the year-to-date rate of 35 percent less than half the 76.7-percent rate recorded during the same seven-month period in 2019… For the January-to-July period, the average room rate for Arlington lodging establishments was $141.55, down nearly 18 percent from the $172.16 recorded during the same period in 2019.” [InsideNova]

Riders Steal Rideshare Driver’s Ride — “The victim was operating as a rideshare driver when he became engaged in a verbal dispute with the three passengers in his vehicle. As he stopped his vehicle to end the trip, the passengers assaulted the victim, then pulled him from the car and continued to assault him. The suspects then re-entered the vehicle, stole it, and fled prior to police arrival. Officers canvasing the area later located the vehicle nearby.” [ACPD]

Debate Watch Party in Shirlington — “Most voters who showed up to the watch party at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia,  said they had made up their minds before the debate — and left feeling frustrated at what they saw.” [WUSA 9]

Regional Coronavirus Cases Down — “The number of new corona­virus infections this week has fallen to levels last seen in mid-July across the Washington region, although leaders and health officials worry that the return of colder weather could reverse the trend.” [Washington Post]

ACPD Investigating Midday Carjacking in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4 p.m.) Men armed with a gun and a knife carjacked someone this afternoon in Crystal City.

The armed carjacking happened around 1:30 p.m., near the intersection of 15th Street S. and S. Bell Street — a block from the Crystal City Metro station.

“The victim was inside of their vehicle when they were approached by two suspects,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Kirby Clark tells ARLnow. “Suspect One displayed a knife and Suspect Two displayed a firearm and forced the victim to exit the vehicle. The suspects then threatened the victim and fled in the vehicle Northbound on Richmond Highway. The vehicle is described as a 2013 BMW X3 with Virginia license plates.”

The investigation is ongoing, Clark said.

This is the tenth carjacking so far this year, according to Clark, amid what police acknowledge has been a marked increase in vehicle-related property crimes, including car break-ins and thefts of idling vehicles. There have also been two attempted carjackings so far this year.

There was one carjacking reported during all of 2019, Clark said.

File photo

Another Carjacking Reported in Arlington Over the Weekend

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4 p.m.) A man was carjacked by a group of suspects in the Green Valley neighborhood over the weekend

The incident happened early Saturday morning on the 2200 block of S. Shirlington Road. The victim was thrown to the ground as 3-4 men stole his personal belongings and car, police said.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

CARJACKING, 2020-07250042, 2200 block of Shirlington Road. At approximately 2:06 a.m. on July 25, police were dispatched to the report of a grand larceny auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim exited his vehicle and was approached by 3-4 male suspects who exited a vehicle and approached him. The suspects threatened him, threw him to the ground and stole his personal belongings, then stole his vehicle. The vehicle is described as a 2018 Silver Kia Forte with Maryland license plate 350920T. The suspects are described as Black males, one wearing a white shirt, one with dreadlocks, and one wearing gold sneakers. The investigation is ongoing.

This is at least the fifth reported carjacking in Arlington since June 22.

Today’s crime report also details a pair of other recent, car-related crimes in Arlington.

A D.C. man was arrested following a foot chase, after police allegedly saw him trying to open car doors on the 2000 block of N. Culpeper Street, in the High View Park neighborhood. And police are looking for the suspects who stole two cars and items from other vehicles on the 6000 block of 28th Street N., in the Williamsburg neighborhood.

From ACPD:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (significant), 2020-07260033, 2000 block of N. Culpeper Street. At approximately 2:31 a.m. on July 26, police were dispatched to the report of a subject pulling on door handles. Arriving officers observed the male suspect inside of a vehicle and made contact with him. As they attempted to detain him in handcuffs, the suspect fled on foot. Following a brief foot pursuit, he was taken into custody without incident. The investigation determined that the suspect allegedly entered the unlocked vehicle and stole items of value. Isaiah Wynn, 27, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with Entering or Setting in Motion Vehicle, Obstruction of Justice and Petit Larceny and held on a secure bond.

GRAND LARCENY/LARCENY FROM AUTO (series), 2020-07240065, 6000 block of 28th Street N. At approximately 8:28 a.m. on July 24, police were dispatched to the late report of a grand larceny auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 8:30 p.m. on July 23 and 8:15 a.m. on July 24, unknown suspects stole the victim’s vehicle. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that an additional vehicle in the same block was stolen and multiple unlocked vehicles were entered, contents tampered with and items of value stolen. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Changes at Prosecutor’s Office — Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti has announced a reorganization of her office to implement a “vertical prosecution” model. The new structure “requires that one prosecutor be assigned to each case from start to finish; it permits the assigned attorney to work early and closely with law enforcement, victims, witnesses, and defense attorneys.” The office has also recently stopped its courtroom involvement with certain types of minor traffic offenses. [Press Release, Twitter]

Man Pleads Guilty to Arlington Carjacking — “A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to his role in an armed robbery and carjacking that led to a high-speed police chase and resulted in injuries to two police officers. According to court documents, Jovan Doir Johnson, 30, together with another individual, obtained a stolen vehicle at gunpoint in Arlington and then used it to rob a 7-Eleven in Lorton.” [Dept. of Justice]

Board Approves CIP, Bond Referenda — “The Arlington County Board today voted unanimously to adopt a scaled-down $277.5 million one-year Capital Improvement Plan that focuses on continuing or completing projects already underway and beginning a 10-year program to improve the County’s stormwater infrastructure and flood resiliency… In a related action, the Board unanimously approved bond referenda totaling $144.454 million to be put before the voters on the November ballot.” [Arlington County, Washington Post]

Board to Hold Closed COVID Meeting — “Notice is hereby given that the County Board of Arlington Co., VA, on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 5:30pm, or as soon thereafter as matters may be heard, in accordance with and for the purposes authorized by law will meet to discuss matters related to the County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Arlington County]

Pandemic May Cause Hunger Crisis — “Up to a quarter of a million people in the Washington area could be thrown into hunger because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by the Capital Area Food Bank, even as the amount of donated food and the number of distribution sites plummet precipitously.” [Washington Post]

Flickr pool photo by Vincent

Four Arrested, Charged With Violent Car Thefts

By ARLnow.com

Four men have been arrested following a car chase and a pair of alleged carjackings.

The violent incidents happened Tuesday afternoon and evening. Police say three of the men, who are all 18 years of age, first knocked a man unconscious in a Ballston parking garage and stole his Honda Civic.

While driving the stolen car, they later rear-ended a BMW on S. Glebe Road, in the Crystal City/Potomac Yard area, and then “began performing donuts in the roadway” before getting out, striking the female driver of the BMW in the head and stealing her car, according to police.

The stolen BMW was found crashed in D.C. The Civic was spotted by Fairfax County police and the four men were subsequently taken into custody after a brief car chase, Arlington County Police said.

In an unrelated car-related incident, an unattended vehicle was reportedly stolen on S. Eads Street this afternoon in the Crystal City/Pentagon City area — a crime similar to one reported near the Pentagon City Costco parking lot last month.

More from an ACPD press release:

Four suspects are facing charges following a series of auto-related crimes in which the vehicles were taken by force. Destiny Morris, 18, of Annandale, VA, Denali Goodridge, 18, of Washington D.C., Treshawn Taylor, 18, of Alexandria, VA and Ayinde Mason, 18, of Washington D.C. have been charged with carjacking. Additional charges are pending.

At approximately 2:37 p.m. on July 21, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force in the 4600 block of Fairfax Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined medics responded to the report of a man down. When the victim regained consciousness, he reported having been assaulted by three unknown male suspects while walking through the garage after parking his vehicle. Following the assault, the suspects stole the victim’s Honda Civic and personal belongings before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. The victim was transported by medics to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

At approximately 6:06 p.m. on July 21, police were dispatched to the report of a hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Potomac Avenue and S. Glebe Road. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was stopped at a red light when she was rear ended by the suspect vehicle, which was determined to be the Honda Civic previously reported stolen from the 4600 block of Fairfax Drive. The victim pulled over, called police and exited her BMW to assess the damage. The suspect then proceeded past her and began performing doughnuts in the roadway before driving back towards the victim and parking in front of her vehicle. Four suspects then exited the vehicle and surrounded the victim. One suspect struck the victim in the head, got into her vehicle and fled the scene with the Honda Civic following behind.

A lookout was broadcast to area law enforcement agencies for the stolen vehicles. The Metropolitan Police Department recovered the unoccupied BMW after it crashed, and the occupants fled the scene. The Honda Civic was located in Fairfax County and, following a brief pursuit by Fairfax County Police Department, the suspects were taken into custody.

This incident remains an active criminal investigation and the arrestees are suspects in additional auto offenses in Arlington. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Safety Tips and Crime Prevention Measures

The Arlington County Police Department is sharing the following tips to help keep you safe when using and parking your vehicle:

  • Park in well-lit, high traffic areas
  • Exit your vehicle and continue to your destination promptly after parking
  • Be aware of your surroundings when entering and exiting your vehicle
  • If in doubt, don’t get out of your vehicle — drive away and park someplace else
  • Never leave your vehicle running unattended, even if you are making short trips
  • Limit your use of devices that may distract you, such as cell phones and headphones
  • Don’t leave items unattended or visible in your vehicle

The department’s efforts to prevent crime in Arlington County are enhanced by the active involvement of the public. If you observe suspicious activity or are the victim of a crime, contact police immediately by calling the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 911 in an emergency.

Another Carjacking Reported in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

For the second time in as many days, a carjacking has been reported in Arlington.

The latest incident happened in a parking garage on the 1400 block of Crystal Drive in Crystal City, around 3:30 a.m. this morning.

Police say a pair of gun-toting suspects stole a rental car and cell phone from a man who had been sleeping in the vehicle — described as a white BMW compact SUV.

More from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

CARJACKING, 2020-06240033, 1400 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 3:33 a.m. on June 24, police were dispatched to the report of a carjacking just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was asleep in his rental vehicle in a garage when he was awoken by two unknown suspects brandishing firearms. Suspect One allegedly grabbed the victim’s shirt and demanded money, while Suspect Two rummaged through the contents of the vehicle. The suspects stole the victim’s wallet and items of value from his person, before fleeing the scene in the victim’s vehicle. Suspect One is described as a Black male, 20-30 years old, heavily tattooed, approximately 5’10” and 180 lbs., with black dreads, wearing a white tank top, black jeans and a white medical mask. Suspect Two is described as a Black male, approximately 5’10” and 180 lbs., wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black balaclava and a black t-shirt tied around his head. The vehicle is described as a white 2020 BMW X1 with an unknown license plate. The investigation is ongoing.

Also in today’s crime report, ACPD says another pair of suspects tried to steal a car that was left running near the Pentagon City Costco.

ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2020-06220148, 900 block of 15th Street S. At approximately 6:40 p.m. on June 22, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted grand larceny auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that two unknown male suspects allegedly entered an unoccupied, running vehicle. The victim observed this, opened the vehicle’s door and a brief struggle ensued. The suspects stole the victim’s cell phone before fleeing the scene in a silver Mercedes SUV driven by a third suspect. Suspect One is described as a Black male in his 20’s wearing a red hat, white tank top and red sweatpants. Suspect Two is described as a Black male in his 20’s, shirtless and wearing camouflage pants. The investigation is ongoing

Gas Station Carjacking Leads to Arrest

By ARLnow.com

A 19-year-old South Carolina man was arrested after a carjacking near Shirlington last night.

The carjacking happened around 8:30 p.m., at a gas station at the corner of S. Four Mile Run Drive and S. Walter Reed Drive. The suspect drove the victim’s car into Fairfax County but a short time later drove back into Arlington, leading to an attempted traffic stop from which the suspect fled, according to ACPD.

Police say the suspect parked the car a few blocks from where it was stolen and took off on foot. He was later located by officers and taken into custody.

More from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

CARJACKING, 2020-06220165, S. Four Mile Run Drive at S. Walter Reed Drive. At approximately 8:27 p.m. on June 22, police were dispatched to the report of a carjacking. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was pumping gas when the male suspect allegedly approached her and demanded the vehicle. The suspect stole the car and fled into Fairfax County. A lookout for the vehicle was broadcast to area law enforcement. At approximately 9:03 p.m., officers were alerted that the vehicle was re-entering the County on Columbia Pike. The vehicle was initially located in the area of 5300 block of Columbia Pike and an officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, however, the driver fled at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was later located parked and unoccupied in the 2600 block of S. Arlington Mill Drive. A perimeter was established, and following a search by officers and K9s, the suspect was located and taken into custody. Verdell Floyd, 19, of Columbia, S.C. was arrested and charged with Carjacking and Eluding. He was held on no bond.

ACPD Investigating Carjacking Near Future HQ2

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police are investigating an armed carjacking that occurred in Pentagon City over the weekend.

Officers were dispatched to a parking garage on the 1300 block of S. Eads Street, across the street from Amazon’s under-construction HQ2, around 10 p.m. Friday. A man told police that three suspects, one of whom was armed with a gun, approached him when he was in his car. The victim exited the car and the suspects drove off with it, according to ACPD.

A tipster tells ARLnow that the carjacking happened in an apartment building’s parking garage and that the garage door was broken at the time, allowing the suspects to enter the garage freely.

So far, no arrests have been announced.

More from an ACPD crime report:

CARJACKING, 2020-05150162, 1300 block of S. Eads Street. At approximately 10:00 p.m. on May 15, police were dispatched to the report of an armed carjacking. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was inside his parked vehicle in a garage when he was approached by two suspects, one of whom displayed a firearm and tapped on the window. A third suspect approached the scene in a vehicle, while the other two suspects rummaged through the victim’s vehicle and demanded the keys. The suspects entered the victim’s vehicle and fled prior to police arrival. Suspect One is described as a black male, age 15-20, 5’9″-5’11”, 140-160 lbs. Suspect Two is described as a black male, 15-20 years old. Suspect Three is described as a black male, 15-20 years old, driving a hatchback vehicle. The victim’s vehicle is a gray 2007 Toyota Avalon with Virginia license plate XFY3363. The investigation is ongoing.

Arrest Made in Pentagon City Carjacking Cases

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police today announced an arrest related to the recent series of carjackings in Pentagon City.

“The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is providing an update into the investigation of armed robbery incidents in Pentagon City garages,” police said in a press release Monday afternoon. “A person of interest has been arrested in Maryland and future charges related to criminal incidents in Arlington are anticipated.”

The last reported carjacking from a Pentagon City garage was on Friday, Feb. 21. It’s unclear whether the person who was arrested is suspected in all or only some of the previous incidents.

More on the arrest from ACPD:

This remains an open and active criminal investigation with Arlington County detectives continuing to work with our regional law enforcement partners from Prince George’s County Police, Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Members of the public are encouraged to continue to following safety tips and crime prevention measures while reporting suspicious activity in the area to law enforcement for investigation. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective S. King of the Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4243 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at ‪1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

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