A convenience store was robbed in broad daylight Monday afternoon, and the suspects were able to flee the scene with cash.

The robbery happened on the 1200 block of Fort Myer Drive, near Rosslyn, around 2 p.m. That block is home to the popular Quarterdeck restaurant and the Fort Myer Market, a convenience store.

Police say two men hopped the counter and struggled with one of the people inside the store, before grabbing cash from the register and running off.

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

ROBBERY, 2019-04010150, 1200 block of Fort Myer Drive. At approximately 1:56 p.m. on April 1, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that the two suspects entered a convenience store, jumped the counter and stole money from the cash register. Following a brief struggle with the victim, the suspects fled the scene. Suspect One is described as a black male with short brown hair, 25 years old, 6’0 tall, 190 lbs. He was wearing black jeans, a black shirt and black jacket at the time of the incident. Suspect Two is described as a black male with short brown hair, 20 years old, 5’5 tall, 175 lbs. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and gray shorts at the time of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

More highlights from this week’s crime report, including some we’ve already reported, are below.

(more…)


Update at 10:30 a.m. — Hubbard has been found safely, police said last night. 

Earlier: Arlington County Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing Williamsburg Middle School student.

Police say Brendan Hubbard, 14, ran away from home Monday night and has not been seen since.

They’re asking that anyone who potentially knows where the teen is to call the police non-emergency line at 703-558-2222.

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance locating a missing 14-year-old juvenile. Brendan Hubbard was last seen at his residence in the 2300 block of N. Columbus Street at approximately 9:30 p.m. on April 1. It is believed that he left the residence on his own accord.

He is described as a white male with brown hair and brown eyes, approximately 5’8″ tall and weighs 140 lbs. It appears he left home on an orange bike, carrying a blue duffel bag and sleeping bag. He is known to frequent the area of the Langston-Brown Community Center.

The investigation into the whereabouts of Mr. Hubbard is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Emergency Communication Center at 703-558-2222.

Note: This article may not be updated until the next day. Should the teen be found, police would first inform the public on the ACPD Twitter account.


The owner of a Clarendon gym who pleaded guilty to trying to buy large quantities of cocaine from undercover police officers has been sentenced.

A federal judge sentenced Pascal Laporte to four years in prison today, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia announced this afternoon.

Prosecutors say Laporte thought he was buying two kilograms of cocaine from a Mexican cartel for $50,000, but was in fact meeting with undercover Fairfax County Police detectives. They say that Laporte planned to sell the cocaine and promised future purchases of up to 100 kilograms.

More from a press release, via the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

An Arlington man was sentenced today to nearly four years in prison for his role in purchasing 2 kilograms of cocaine from undercover detectives.

According to court documents, Pascal Laporte, 40, intended to purchase 2 kilograms of cocaine from undercover Fairfax County Police detectives who purported themselves as members a drug cartel based in Mexico. For over a year, Laporte expressed to a confidential source his need for a cheaper supplier of cocaine who could provide him with kilogram quantities. Laporte first met the undercover detectives in early August 2018 at a restaurant in Tysons Corner, to discuss pricing per kilogram and the quantity Laporte desired. Laporte told the undercover detectives it would take him a week to sell off 1 kilogram of cocaine.

In the weeks leading up to his arrest, Laporte communicated with the CS his desire to start with the purchase of 2 kilograms of cocaine, and if the arrangement went well, he would then purchase 10 kilograms, and then upwards of 100 kilograms per month. Laporte even traveled to Miami with the intention to find a means to transport the cocaine himself to the Northern Virginia area in an effort to obtain the cheapest price per kilogram. Laporte was arrested in August 2018 as he was inspecting the cocaine that he was to purchase. He brought $45,000 to the meeting, as partial payment for the 2 kilograms.


Police are trying to locate a group of alleged car thieves they say flipped a stolen car before attempting to steal others in the Fairlington neighborhood.

Around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night police arrived at the scene of a flipped car on the 4800 block of 28th Street S, according to a crime report posted today. Officers discovered that the vehicle was a sedan stolen from D.C. and determined that its passengers broke into several other cars in the area while trying to flee the crash scene.

The suspects allegedly stole one car, a Silver 2016 Kia Optima, from the neighborhood after flipping their own and attempted to break into several other vehicles, ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.

Residents posted pictures of the scene on Facebook. One picture shows a log sitting in the passenger seat of one of the cars, wood chips and glass from the broken window strewn across the center console.

“Approximately four vehicles were tampered with,” confirmed Savage. “The driver’s side windows of two vehicles were smashed and a log was located at the scene.”

More from the crime report:

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT/TAMPERING WITH AUTO, 2019-03300280, 2019-03300275, 2019-03310014, 4800 block of 28th Street S. At approximately 11:34 p.m. on March 30, police were dispatched to the report of suspects tampering with vehicles. Upon investigation, it was determined the suspects were operating a vehicle previously reported stolen out of Washington D.C. when they struck a parked vehicle, causing theirs to overturn. The suspects then exited the vehicle, tampered with approximately four vehicles, before stealing a vehicle with the keys left inside and fleeing the scene. The occupants of the crashed vehicle are described as two black males and two black females. The investigation is ongoing.

The Fairlington Villages condo association acknowledged the break-ins in a statement posted on its website and social media Monday, writing:

Management is aware of the events over the weekend regarding vehicles being vandalized and police activity. As it is an ongoing investigation, the police has no information to release at this time. We will update the community as soon as information becomes available.

As a safety measure, if you’re outside at night, please be aware of your surroundings and please keep your phone with you.

Forty-one auto thefts have been reported in Arlington since January 1, up from 32 stolen vehicles reported in the same period last year, according to ACPD’s Community Crime Map.

All told, there were 176 reports of stolen vehicles in 2018, an increase from 158 in 2017. Records from 2016 are not available as police rolled out the crime map that year.

Photo via Andrea L. on Facebook


(Updated at 12:20 p.m.) Wilson Blvd is closed between N. Quincy and Randolph streets, just east of Ballston Quarter mall, for the removal of a massive construction crane.

Crews appear to be in the process of disassembling the crane piece-by-piece and hauling away the pieces.

Police are on scene and traffic is being re-routed to roads parallel to Wilson. As of 11 a.m., traffic was light in the area. The westbound lanes of Wilson are expected to reopen in time for the evening rush hour, according to Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage, while the eastbound lanes are set to remain closed through Sunday.

The crane was in place to assist with the construction of the new Liberty Center building at 4040 Wilson Blvd.

The mixed-use residential, retail, and office space is scheduled to open later this year and will be the final piece of a five-building development. VIDA Fitness, a “high end fitness center and spa,” is set to open its first non-D.C. location in the building by the end of 2019, while publicly-traded apartment developer AvalonBay is expected to move from its current Ballston office to the new building.

The road closure is not the only notable closure on the block. The Sweetgreen restaurant at 4075 Wilson Blvd is closed for the second day in a row, for unspecified reasons. Some sort of a clean-up effort appears to be underway in the store, though a county spokesman noted that the temporary closure is “not related to any Health Department action.”


(Updated at 9:45 p.m.) Traffic throughout Arlington has reached apocalyptic levels as the closure of the Beltway’s Inner Loop continues well into the night.

Shortly before 2 p.m., a tanker truck overturned as part of a multi-vehicle crash just prior the American Legion Bridge. The cleanup from the crash and the hazmat response from a fuel spill prompted the complete closure of I-495 northbound before the bridge, sending tens of thousands of drivers bound for Maryland and D.C. into Arlington to try to make it across the remaining Potomac bridges.

In Fairfax County, that has meant gridlock on main eastbound arteries like Chain Bridge Road and Georgetown Pike. In Arlington, it has resulted in the following almost unthinkable traffic scenarios as of 9 p.m. on an otherwise clear and calm day:

  • Both directions of I-66 are jammed between Glebe Road and the Roosevelt Bridge.
  • Northbound N. Glebe Road is a virtual parking lot for more than two miles from just past Washington Golf and Country Club to Chain Bridge. The backups have been getting longer as the night goes on.
  • Northbound Military Road is a solid line of traffic from Zachary Taylor Park to the Glebe Road on-ramp. Police have shut down access to the road at Nelly Custis Drive, according to a tipster.
  • Side streets in the Old Glebe neighborhood are filled with cars attempting to find shortcuts.
  • Eastbound Route 50 is “in gridlock from Pershing Drive.”
  • Numerous highway on-ramps throughout Arlington have been closed by police to try to control traffic.
  • Eastbound Lee Highway is backed up to the MOM’s Organic Market.
  • Multiple intersections in Rosslyn are reported to be near-gridlock near Key Bridge, with police on scene directing traffic.
  • Northbound I-395 is crawling past Pentagon City.

The Inner Loop remains completely closed and is expected to remain closed until midnight or later.

The nightmare traffic has led to hours in the car for commuters and some frayed nerves. Police have responded to numerous reports of road rage incidents, as well as crashes on traffic-clogged streets.

More from social media:

https://twitter.com/mlymllr/status/1111401393691070464

https://twitter.com/NPRNedWharton/status/1111398477529907201

https://twitter.com/sandybeach28/status/1111432291295723526

Maps via Google Maps


Lidl Opens Store at Arlington HQ — “Arlington finally has its first Lidl grocery store — it just happens to be pint-sized… the company took a little more than 1,000 square feet it was using as storage on the ground floor of its HQ to open Lidl Express, a convenience-sized store with a variety of convenience store staples and fresh food.” [Washington Business Journal]

Lee Highway Group Wants More Funding — “The Lee Highway Alliance is seeking what its president calls a modest increase in funding from the county government. But the budget proposed by County Manager Mark Schwartz is heading in the other direction.” [InsideNova]

Crystal City Condo Aiming for Record Sale — “With Amazon’s HQ2 on the way, the seller of Penthouse 3S at the Crystal Gateway Condominiums believes the time is right to go for a record… While $2 million might sound like a hefty number, DeHart stresses that inside DC limits, buyers pay nearly twice as much for Potomac views.” [Washingtonian]

Former ACPD Captain in the News — “The former police chief of Portsmouth, Va.” — Tonya Chapman, a former Arlington County Police captain and the first black woman to lead a municipal police department in Virginia — “says she was forced out by city leaders over resistance to her attempts to overhaul a department riven by racial tension.” [Washington Post]

Instagrammable Arlington Spots — Arlington tourism booster StayArlington has compiled a list of Instagram-friendly locations in the county. [StayArlington]

Nearby: Halal Butchery Approved — “A retail halal butcher shop that slaughters chickens on-site will be allowed to open in a small industrial area of Alexandria, despite strong opposition from nearby business owners and their patrons.” [Washington Post, Patch]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley


Police are investigating how a bullet wound up in a home near Shirlington.

A man found the bullet while cleaning his home on the 4500 block of 28th Road S. last week and called police, believing the bullet had been fired from outside the home. The man also told police that the bullet damaged a hanging picture frame.

No one was injured and the investigation is ongoing, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED DWELLING (late), 2019-03150177, 4500 block of 28th Road S. At approximately 3:10 p.m. on March 15, police were dispatched to the report of suspicious circumstances. Upon arrival, it was determined that on March 14 at approximately 7:00 p.m., the victim was cleaning his residence when he located a bullet on the floor of the living room which is believed to have caused damage to a hanging picture frame. No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.

Below are the rest of the highlights from this week’s crime report, including some we’ve already reported.

ASSAULT & BATTERY ON POLICE, 2019-03190004, 1500 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 12:17 a.m. on March 19, police were dispatched to the report of disorderly conduct. Upon arrival, it was determined that police were summoned for a female subject who was allegedly disregarding the rules of a program center and refusing to leave. The subject refused to comply with the lawful commands of officers to leave the premises and became combative. While attempting to place the subject under arrest for trespassing, she kicked one officer in the chest and struck another in the face. Patricia Davis, 62, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police (x2) and Trespassing. She was held without bond.

ROBBERY (late), 2019-03170184, 1700 block of N. Moore Street. At approximately 2:45 p.m. on March 17, police were dispatched to the late report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 1:35 p.m., a store employee attempted to prevent two alleged shoplifting suspects from leaving the business. The suspects pushed the employee and struck him in the face before fleeing the scene on foot. The victim refused medical attention. Suspect One is described as a tall black male, in his 20s – 30s, wearing a dark blue jacket, dark colored jeans, dark shoes and a backpack. Suspect Two is described as a shorter black male, wearing a blue and red jacket, blue jeans and a backpack. The investigation is ongoing.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2019-03150030, 2900 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 2:09 a.m. on March 15, officers on routine patrol were approached by a victim suffering from a superficial laceration to the neck. The victim did not require medical attention. Upon investigation, it was determined that the victim’s friends were speaking with two unknown males when the victim approached them and told them it was time to go. The unknown male suspects began following the group and following a verbal altercation, one suspect produced a blade and struck the victim in the neck. The suspects fled the scene prior to police notification. Suspect 1 is described as a white male, bald with tattoos, between 5’8″ – 5’9″ tall and approximately 140lbs. Suspect 2 is described as a white male, approximately 5’8″ with an athletic build. He was wearing a short sleeve black shirt and light colored jeans at the time of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2019-03160029, 4100 block of 3rd Road N. At approximately 2:30 a.m. police were dispatched to the report of a possible unlawful entry into a vacant apartment. Upon arrival, officers located a suspect inside the residence who allegedly entered through an unsecured window. Alberto Bollera, 34, of Hyattsville, MD was arrested and charged with Unlawful Entry and Drunk in Public.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, 2019-03160302, 4100 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 11:39 p.m. on March 16, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was inside her residence when she observed the door handle to her residence moving. The suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a black male, 40 – 60 years old, wearing a camouflage jacket, light colored sweatshirt and light colored pants. The investigation is ongoing.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, 2019-03130240, 1700 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 10:55 p.m. on March 13, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was walking in the area when he was approached by an unknown suspect who attempted to steal his wallet. The victim shouted at the suspect and he fled the scene on foot. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’7″-5’8″ with a beard, wearing a dark zippered jacket, khaki pants, and a striped beanie hat. The investigation is ongoing.

RECOVERED STOLEN AUTO, 2019-03140086, 3400 block of N. Inglewood Street. At approximately 10:49 a.m. on March 14, police were dispatched to the report of a Grand Larceny Auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect entered the victim’s garage and stole a vehicle with the key left inside. The vehicle was located unoccupied in Washington D.C. Warrants for Grand Larceny Auto and Grand Larceny were obtained.

BURGLARY (late), 2019-03120045, 4100 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 8:15 a.m. on March 12, police responded to the late report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 2:10 a.m. on March 12, an unknown suspect entered a residence through an unlocked door and stole numerous items of value. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY, 2019-03130242, 4100 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. At approximately 11:07 p.m. on March 13, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim heard noise originating from outside his patio door. Upon investigation, the victim observed an unknown male suspect outside the door. The suspect fled the scene on foot prior to police arrival and a canvas of the area returned with negative results. The suspect is described as a black male with dark complexion, in his late 30’s to early 40’s, approximately 5’9″ tall and weighing 200 lbs. He has short hair, a mustache and a beard. He was wearing a dark colored jacket, red hoodie, and navy pants at the time of the incident.


Arlington police have increased patrols around houses of worship following the recent terrorist attack on mosques in New Zealand.

ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the department has stepped up patrols and “conducted public outreach to our faith-based communities” in the county.

“Since the attack in New Zealand, we have been in contact with the leaders of Muslim faith-based communities in Arlington County to address any concerns they may have and ensure open lines of communication,” Savage said, adding that “officers are conducting increased patrols for all faith-based communities.”

Police are also offering “safety presentations” for community groups on active shooter situations, reporting suspicious activity, and the “risks, hazards, and vulnerabilities” in houses of worship.” Groups interested can schedule a training by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].

Muslim houses of worship in Arlington include the Baitul Mukarram Masjid mosque on S. Nelson Street in Nauck. There are also Muslim prayer services held at some local churches and hotels, according to listings found online.

The beefed up security comes after at 50 people were killed in shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand Friday. The 28-year-old suspect in custody is an Australian man who reportedly posted an 87-page white supremacist memo prior to the killings.

Savage stressed that while “there are no known threats in Arlington County” people are encouraged to report suspicious activity to department by calling the non-emergency line — 703-558-2222 — or 9-1-1 in an emergency

Police in D.C. and Fairfax and Montgomery counties have also increased patrols around mosques in their communities, WTOP reported.


Police are encouraging people not to drink and drive during Arlington’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities this weekend with a free event about blood alcohol levels.

The annual event, called “Don’t Press Your Luck,” will be held Saturday from 5-7 p.m. on N. Hudson Street between Wilson Blvd and 13th Street N. by the James Hunter Dog Park and Don Tito restaurant.

Police will be using the “Virtual Bar” app by Responsibility.org to show how a person’s gender, weight, and food consumption affects their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and impairs their ability to drive.

Officers plan to close the two blocks of N. Hudson Street from 4-8 p.m. Saturday for the event, and are warning drivers to look out for temporary “No Parking” posted signs nearby.

Virtual Bar was touted as “way to help promote responsible drinking decisions, especially as people explore how foods they are likely to consume when out drinking.”

Arlington County Police are organizing the event together with Responsibility.org and the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), which advocates for ways to reduce drunk driving across the Greater Washington region.

WRAP’s annual St. Paddy’s Day $15 Lyft discount to discourage drunk driving also returns this year. The promo code will be posted on WRAP’s website at 3 p.m. Sunday and the code will work for the first $1,500 customers between the hours of 4 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday.

From ACPD:

St. Patrick’s Day can be a celebratory time, often including alcohol. The green beer and merry-making of the holiday unfortunately lead to dangerous driving conditions as party-goers head home. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017, 59 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes over St. Paddy’s Day holiday weekend across the nation. And, more than one-third (37% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and Responsbility.org are teaming up to remind that if your plans include drinking, plan ahead to take a sober ride home.


Law enforcement officers from around Northern Virginia will convene in Arlington later this month for a training exercise simulating a terrorist attack or some sort of other “active violence incident.”

County police announced this week that the training will take place on Sunday, March 31. But they declined to release any details about its timing or location, except to say that it would involve “multiple locations throughout the region.”

“The public should not experience any significant impacts to traffic routes or public facilities,” police wrote in a news release. “Members of the public will see an increase in public safety vehicles and law enforcement officers in the area but should not be alarmed or concerned as they will be part of the exercise play.”

Police say the exercise will “provide participants with an opportunity to assess capabilities, plans, policies and procedures outlined in a recently developed Complex Coordinated Attack Traffic Management Plan.”

“It will focus on decision-making, coordination and integration with other organizations during an active violence incident,” police said.

The Northern Virginia Emergency Response System, a joint effort to prepare for emergencies by the area’s law enforcement agency is sponsoring the exercise. Funding will come from the Department of Homeland Security.

The following agencies plan to participate:

  • Arlington County Police Department
  • Fairfax County Police Department
  • Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority
  • Metro Transit Police Department
  • Virginia Department of Transportation
  • Virginia State Police
  • U.S. Park Police

Police say that neither members of the public nor the media will be allowed access to the exercise and its participants.

Arlington has been the site of several other terrorism, or mass violence, exercises in past years as well.

File photo


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