Craigslist

Craigslist Car Sale Leads to Armed Carjacking

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) A person trying to sell their car online — reportedly via Craigslist — instead became the victim of a carjacking.

Police say they were called to the 2400 block of S. Glebe Road, near the I-395 ramps, just before 4 p.m. yesterday.

“Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim and suspect connected online regarding the sale of a vehicle,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “They agreed to meet to conduct a test drive, during which the suspect pulled into a parking lot. When the victim asked the suspect what he was doing, the suspect allegedly reached into his bag and brandished a firearm. The victim was able to exit before the suspect fled the scene in the vehicle.”

Officers checked I-395 immediately after the carjacking but were unable to locate the vehicle, which was described as a black 2015 Lexus RC with an Arizona license plate.

ACPD continues to investigate the crime, Savage said.

Arlington and the region saw a spate of carjackings last year and early this year, though authorities have been cracking down and fewer have been reported since police started conducting stepped-up patrols.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington No. 6 on Highest-Income List — Arlington County is the No. 6 highest-income county in the country, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. Three other local counties — Loudoun County, Howard County and Fairfax County — were Nos. 1, 2 and 3 respectively. D.C., meanwhile, was one of the only urban centers in the country to see a decline in its median household income. [Washington Post]

Local Oktoberfest List — A Reddit user has created a master list of local Oktoberfest celebrations and German restaurants. Among the events on the list is the annual Capitol City Brewing Oktoberfest in Shirlington, scheduled this year for Saturday, Sept. 30. [Google Docs, Reddit]

Arlington Ladies Auxiliary Van For Sale — For $3,500, you can be the proud owner of a 1967 Dodge van that once was used as the Arlington Professional Firefighters Association Ladies Auxiliary coffee wagon. [Craigslist]

Arlington Combating Opioid Epidemic —  Arlington County is reminding residents that opioid addiction remains a significant problem in the county and around the U.S. “Opioid use and cases of overdosing continue to rise,” the county said, on a webpage that lists resources for those trying to overcome addiction. [Arlington County]

Mobility Lab Director Touts Success — “We calculated that on a typical workday, our services in Arlington County helped shed about 40,000 trips from vehicles into biking, walking, et cetera,” says the Managing Director of Arlington County’s Mobility Lab, in an interview. “That’s equivalent to seven lanes of urban highway.” [Arlington Magazine]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

A Buick gets pushed down Columbia Pike

‘Most Clarendon Craigslist Ad Ever’ — Is this listing for rooms in a house in the Clarendon-Courthouse area, which starts out with the greeting “Whasup Craiglist,” the “most Clarendon Craigslist ad ever,” as our tipster puts it? According to the listing, two people are leaving the four-person house and the remaining residents “are looking for new members [to add] to our wolfpack.” [Craigslist, Twitter]

Arlington Is 2nd Most Affordable for Car Insurance — A website says Arlington has the second most-affordable car insurance in the country. The ranking is based on the average insurance rate for a Ford F-150 as a percentage of the county’s median income. [Nerd Wallet]

SpringFest in Shirlington Tomorrow — Campbell Avenue in Shirlington will be closed to traffic tomorrow (Saturday) for the first annual Mid-Atlantic SpringFest beer festival. It costs $30 for tickets to sample the festival’s brews, which are being provided by more than 45 breweries. [Capitol City Brewing]

Summer Opening Eyed for Silver Line — After a series of delays, Metro is hoping to open the first phase of the Silver Line at some point this summer. [Reston Now]

ACPD Participating in Prescription Drug Take-Back — From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday), Arlington County Police will participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Those who have expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs lying around can bring them to one of three Arlington fire stations to have the medication safely disposed of, no questions asked. [Arlington County]

Can ‘Magic Mike’ Be a Magic Love Connection?

By ARLnow.com

One local man is hoping that the movie “Magic Mike” can be his magic love connection.

A 42-year-old guy posted on the Craigslist Missed Connections page in an effort to connect with a woman he sat next to at an Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) screening of the movie, which follows the travails of a group of male strippers.

From Craigslist:

It was a packed movie Monday night. I arrived a couple minutes before the movie started and you offered the empty seat next to you. We talked for a couple minutes. I thought you were intriguing, but regret not having the chance to get to know you more. I liked how you laughed at certain parts of the movie. Email me back if you are curious.

Flickr pool photo by wfyurasko

Missed Connection: Weepy at Willow

By ARLnow.com

An unusually heartfelt “missed connection” was posted on Craigslist this morning.

I saw you at Willow [restaurant (4301 N. Fairfax Drive)] Monday night, sitting at a table near me. You – tall, blond hair in braids, stylish, natural beauty, and the face of what I imagine angels must look like. You were meeting with someone who seemed to be a lawyer or financial advisor, and you were inconsolable. I don’t know if your meeting involved the death of someone close to you or something similiarly tragic. I had an almost incontrollable urge to attempt to comfort you. I’m sorry for whatever made you so sad. I’ll send good vibes/thoughts/prayers your way. I’m no stranger to hardship and tragedy, so if by some miracle you read this, know that things will get better, and if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.

Hat tip to Amy Moore/Bethesdan

Wanted on Craigslist: Attractive Arlington Dog Owners

By ARLnow.com

Looking to attract attention from members of the opposite sex in Arlington? If the past week’s Missed Connections on Craigslist are any indication, all you need is a dog.

On at least four separate occasions in the past week, lovelorn admirers have posted messages in hopes of connecting with attractive dog owners.

It started last Tuesday, with a woman seeking a man she had met at the Shirlington dog park.

Hi. I met you at the dog park on Saturday or Sunday (the days seem to drift together). You have a young dog named Kai (I think I have spelled that correctly). I have three dogs, our dogs played in the water and we spoke briefly.

I know it was your first visit to the dog park, and I hope to see you again!

Then, on Saturday, another Shirlington dog connection at Caribou Coffee — this time, a man seeking a woman.

You tied your dog up outside of Caribou to get a coffee and some water for the pup. I was with my friend at the table next to you – I was the guy sitting closest to you in a red shirt. You walked away before I had the chance to really talk to you, but I would like to meet you back there and buy you a cup of coffee some time.

Also posted on Saturday, a man seeking the “cute blonde with the adorable dog” in Ballston.

You were the cute blonde with the adorable dog named Doobie. I guess he didn’t like us because he kept barking. Sorry about that. If it was up to me I would have just played with him all night. Let’s get drinks at the same place sometime so I can make it up to you two.

Finally, a female dog owner posted yesterday seeking a “blond and handosome” dog owner she spotted at the Shirlington dog park.

I know this is a long shot but I thought I’d try…
Tonight I saw you at the dog park with a retriever and an older gentleman. You were hard to keep my eyes off of actually but I didn’t want to weird you out. I was the brunette with a pink shirt and little beagle.

I think we live in the same sub division maybe because I was walking the same route home.

How about a playdate with the pups…or a regular one?

Missed Connections in Unlikely Places

By ARLnow.com

If you’re unfamiliar with Craigslist’s “Missed Connections” section, it’s ostensibly a place for people to go to try to find love interests who they saw or talked to in a fleeting moment, who they now have no other way of contacting.

The past week or so has seen a number of Arlington-related missed connections, many of them involving unlikely places or situations to be looking for love.

  • Army Dude by the Horses (Arlington Cemetery) — “I probably talked more to the horse than I did to you, but I do remember you smiling a lot.”
  • Taste of Arlington (Ballston) — “You have a nose piercing and we traded a few looks as we waited for the [paella] to be finished. Despite my dressed down attire, please note that I am employed.”
  • Columbia Pike Farmers Market — “I asked you about the single fruit you had purchased… We also spoke about seafood.”
  • 25C Bus — “We were on the bus together. Looked at each other a lot.”
  • Sitting in Court (Courthouse) — “I’m not the shy type, but something about asking for your number during court just seemed wrong.”