police

Crime Report: Masked Man Seen Pleasuring Self in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

A woman walking down the street witnessed a man wearing a mask, lying atop a car and pleasuring himself last night in the Courthouse area, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

The incident was reported around 10 p.m., on the 1900 block of Wilson Blvd. The masked man fled on foot after the woman screamed. Police were called but officers were unable to find him.

More from ACPD:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2017-11280270, 1900 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 10:00 p.m. on November 28 police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 9:45 p.m. a female victim was walking in the area when she observed a male suspect wearing a mask laying across the hood of a car masturbating. When the victim screamed, the suspect fled on foot. The suspect is described as a male, with light skin, wearing light brown pants, black shoes, a black sweater and a black mask. Officers canvassed the area with negative results. 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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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Career Center Site May Expand — The Arlington County Board and School Board have created a joint working group to explore options for adding more high school seats at the Arlington Career Center Site near Columbia Pike. The working group will consider how the site “may be developed in phases to accommodate more high school capacity and new community amenities.” It will also “identify opportunities to expand the Career Center site by leasing space in adjacent buildings and/or through land acquisition.” [Arlington County]

ACPD Warns of Holiday Phone Scams — Arlington County Police are cautioning residents against automatically trusting phone calls claiming to be on behalf of charitable organizations around the holidays. Scammers falsely identifying themselves as charitable solicitors are trying to steal money and personal information. In particular, the police department says, calls claiming to be collecting money on behalf of ACPD are bogus. [Arlington County]

RIP Officer Irving Comer — “On Thursday, November 23, 2017, retired Officer Irving Comer, the first African-American to be sworn in as a police officer for the Arlington County Police Department, passed away at the age of 74.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Police Investigating Death in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police are continuing to investigate a death in Pentagon City last night.

A person’s body was found in the street on the 700 block of 12th Street S., near the Metro station entrance and the Pentagon Centre shopping center and construction site, around 9 p.m. Sunday night, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

The police department requested the assistance of the Fairfax County Police helicopter in obtaining an aerial view of the scene and investigating how the person died, and the investigation is ongoing as of 4 p.m. Monday, Savage said.

A tipster tells ARLnow.com that they believe the individual fell from the construction crane on the site. A Twitter user reported Sunday night that the helicopter was shining its light on the crane.

Police said on Monday that they could not yet confirm the manner of death.

“This remains an active investigation and next of kin has not yet been notified,” said Savage. “The death is not considered suspicious and there is no threat to the public.”

Fake Kidnapping Claim Prompts Police Response

By ARLnow.com

A woman withdrew money in response to what turned out to be a fake kidnapping claim over the weekend.

According to police, an unknown man called the woman, saying he had kidnapped her daughter and would harm her unless he received a payment. The woman called police, but not before withdrawing money for a potential ransom payment. Officers located the woman’s daughter and confirmed that the kidnapping claim was a scam, stopping any potential payments to the scammer.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

EXTORTION, 2017-11260099, 5200 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 12:05 p.m. on November 26, police were dispatched to a possible robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that a female victim called the Emergency Communication Center after receiving a threatening phone call from an unknown suspect. The suspect stated that he had kidnapped the victim’s daughter and would harm her unless the victim provided the suspect with money. The arriving officer was able to contact the victim’s daughter and confirm that she was not in danger. The victim had withdrawn money, however, the suspect was unable to provide her with a method for transferring the money as officers had arrived on scene and interrupted the transaction.

Police said the incident followed a pattern seen in similar kidnapping scams that have been reported recently. ACPD offered the following tips for someone who may receive a phone call claiming to be from a kidnapper.

The ACPD wants you to stay safe and be well-informed. To avoid becoming a victim of this extortion scheme, look for the following possible indicators:

  • Calls do not come from the kidnapped victim’s phone
  • Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the phone
  • Callers prevent you from calling or locating the “kidnapped” victim
  • Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer service

If you receive a phone call from someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim, contact police immediately.

Crime Report: Rumble in the Bathroom

By ARLnow.com

Two belligerents beat up a pair of bar-goers in a Buckingham bathroom Sunday, according to this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

Two Arlington men in their 20s were arrested following the attacks, which allegedly stemmed from an “unprovoked verbal altercation” inside the bathroom.

The second victim was assaulted after trying to stop the initial fight, police say. The suspects were arrested later, at their home, and are being held without bond.

More from the crime report, below.

ASSAULT BY MOB, 2017-11190224, 200 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 7:15 p.m. on November 19, police were dispatched to the report of an assault that had just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the two suspects allegedly initiated an unprovoked verbal altercation with the victims inside of a restaurant. When one victim went to use the bathroom, the suspects followed and assaulted him. The second victim attempted to stop the fight and was struck by the suspects. The suspects fled the scene prior to police arrival. Police developed possible identifications of the suspects and located them at their residence. Axel Tojin Nimajuan, 25, of Arlington, VA and Edgar Tojin, 23, of Arlington, VA, were arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding by Mob. Both suspects were held on no bond.

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

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DEVELOPING: Detectives Investigating Death at Dunkin Donuts

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police are investigating the death of a man at the new Dunkin Donuts in Clarendon.

Police say they were called to the store on the 3000 block of Clarendon Blvd around 9:35 p.m. Tuesday. Upon arriving on scene, officers found a 38-year-old man in medical distress.

The man was transported to Virginia Hospital Center and pronounced dead, said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. The deceased individual was not an employee, according to Savage.

“The Arlington County Police Department is conducting an active death investigation and cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” Savage wrote. “This appears to be an isolated incident and the investigation has not revealed any ongoing threat to the community.”

Police have released few details about what happened. The store was open and serving customers as normal Wednesday morning.

Police Urge Driver Caution, Patience During Thanksgiving Getaways

By Chris Teale

As thousands of drivers around Arlington prepare to hit the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Arlington County Police Department is reminding everyone to always wear a seatbelt.

The department is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to share the reminder: “Buckle Up — Every Trip. Every Time.”

More from ACPD:

Every day, unbuckled motorists are losing their lives in motor vehicle crashes. As we approach the winter holiday season, we want to make sure people are doing the one thing that can save them in a crash, buckling up. As part of the national seat belt enforcement campaign, law enforcement agencies around the country will be stepping up enforcement from November 20 to December 1, 2017.

According to NHTSA, during the 2015 Thanksgiving weekend, 301 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide, and 53 percent were not their wearing seat belts at the time of the fatal crash. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 57 percent of Thanksgiving weekend crashes occurring at night. That’s why one focus of the campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.

To learn more about the campaign, visit the NHTSA website.

In a similar effort, Virginia State Police will be be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., the Combined Accident Reduction Effort. Operation C.A.R.E. is a state-sponsored, national program designed to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries caused by speeding, impaired driving and not wearing seatbelts.

State police will have increased enforcement from tomorrow (Wednesday) through Sunday.

“Tragically, traffic fatalities are on the rise in Virginia,” Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, said in a statement. “We’ve seen an 11 percent increase over this time last year. With so many people estimated to travel over the Thanksgiving weekend, we need everyone to help prevent crashes by driving smart, buckling up and never driving drunk or drugged. We want everyone to arrive alive and enjoy the holiday.”

And while traffic may be busy along the I-95 corridor, as it has been historically at this time of year, the Virginia Department of Transportation is trying to make life a little easier.

During the Thanksgiving travel period, VDOT will suspend most major highway work zones and lift lane closures on Virginia interstates and major streets from Wednesday through noon on Monday, November 27.

VDOT’s Thanksgiving traffic trends map shows that Tuesday evening and midday Wednesday are among the busiest times on Virginia highways for heading out of the D.C. area.

Similarly, Metro has no scheduled track work on Thanksgiving Day, with trains and buses operating on a Sunday schedule. The system opens at 8 a.m., and will close at 11 p.m. On Friday, November 24, the system will be open on a normal weekday schedule.

Woodbridge Man Charged with Assaulting Woman in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

A 22-year-old Woodbridge man has been charged with malicious wounding after sending a woman who tried to help him to the hospital.

The incident happened early Saturday morning in Clarendon. Police say the man was kicked out of a local bar for “being disorderly,” and a woman was trying to calm him down when he “became combative and assaulted her.” He then struck two witnesses who tried to come to the woman’s aid, according to police, before officers arrived and he was arrested.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2017-11180016, 1200 block of N. Herndon Street. At approximately 12:33 a.m. on November 18, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect was removed from a restaurant for being disorderly. When the female victim attempted to calm the suspect down, he allegedly became combative and assaulted her. Two witnesses came to her aide and a physical altercation ensued where the suspect struck both witnesses. The female victim was transported to Virginia Hospital Center with non-life threatening injuries. Brandon Jordan, 22, of Woodbridge, VA, was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding and Drunk in Public. He was held on no bond.

Man Charged With Assaulting Police Officer in County Government HQ

By Chris Teale

A man allegedly assaulted a police officer in Arlington County’s government offices after a dispute over his employment, police said.

Officers from the Arlington County Police Department responded to 2100 Clarendon Blvd on Wednesday, November 15 at around 2:35 p.m.

Department spokesman Ashley Savage said they responded to the County Manager’s office after the suspect, Vincent Moody, 52, became upset about his employment status and refused to leave. Someone by that name on LinkedIn is listed as having worked in “facilities” for Arlington County.

When police arrived he refused to comply, and as he was handcuffed he hit an officer, according to Savage.

More from an ACPD crime report:

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2017-11150145, 2100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 2:35 p.m. on November 15, police were dispatched to a disorderly subject inside a Government office. Upon arrival, it was determined that the subject was upset about his employment status and was refusing to leave the building. The subject refused to comply with the lawful commands of the arriving officer. As the officer was attempting to secure the subject in handcuffs, he allegedly became combative, and struck the officer. Vincent Moody, 52, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with Assault & Battery on Police, Trespassing and Obstruction of Justice.

Police Cite 11 Drivers for Not Yielding to Pedestrians

By Chris Teale

Arlington County Police cited 11 drivers in two places earlier this week for failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the tickets were issued from two locations: the intersections of Washington Blvd and 4th Street N. in Lyon Park; and Columbia Pike and S. Oakland Street in Alcova Heights.

Police said the program is part of its 2017 Street Smart Pedestrian, Driver, and Bicyclist Safety Campaign from November 6 through December 3.

The program aims to change road users’ behavior while reducing the number of crashes and injuries. Officers ticketed motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians who violated traffic laws.

Officers will conduct another high-visibility enforcement effort on November 30.

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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