police

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Snow overlooking the Potomac (Flickr pool photo by lifeinthedistrict)

Another Dem Enters Congressional Race — Derek Hyra, an associate professor in Virginia’s Tech’s Urban Affairs and Planning program, has thrown his hat into the ring for the June 10th Democratic primary to replace Rep. Jim Moran in Congress. Hyra is also a member of the Alexandria Planning Commission. [NBC Washington]

Young Dems Hold Meet and Greet — Arlington Young Democrats will hold a meet and greet with some of the Democratic congressional candidates tonight. The event is taking place at 7:00 p.m. at Ireland’s Four Courts (2051 N. Wilson Blvd). [Facebook]

Cost of Police Reports May Rise — County officials are considering raising the price of accident reports and criminal checks from $3-5 to $10 apiece. The increase in fees could bring in an additional $32,000, which would offset the police department’s cost of supplying the reports. [Sun Gazette]

Marymount Signs Ballston Lease — Marymount University has signed a lease for 87,000 square feet of space in the office building at 4040 N. Fairfax Drive. The building was renovated last year after it sole tenant, the Dept. of Defense, moved out due to the Base Realignment and Closure Act. [Federal Capital Partners]

Registration Open for Fairlington 5K — Registration is now open for the Fairlington 5K Run and Walk. The non-competitive event will take place at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 5. It will benefit Abingdon Elementary School and Ellie McGinn, an Abingdon student who’s battling a degenerative mitochondrial disease for which there is no known cure. [Fairlington 5K]

Flickr pool photo by lifeinthedistrict

New Paint Job for Arlington Police Cars

By ARLnow.com

New Arlington police car paint job Old Arlington County police car paint job (file photo)

Arlington County police cars are getting a new look.

All new county police cars are receiving a sleeker paint job, as seen in the above photo (left). Existing patrol cars will keep the old decals (right) to save money, we’re told.

The police department is planning to purchase 25 new patrol cars this year, according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Bar Fight in Ballston Sends One to Hospital

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police carAn early morning bar fight at A-Town Bar and Grill (4100 Fairfax Drive) in Ballston sent one man to the hospital with severe lacerations.

The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Arlington County police say a fight between two men led to one man stabbing and/or slashing the other with a broken beer bottle.

“The victim sustained lacerations to the face and neck,” according to the police report. “He was transported to GW Hospital.”

“The suspect fled the scene, but was later located and taken into custody,” police said. “Mohammad Islam, 33, of Leesburg, VA, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.”

Rash of Thefts Hit Soccer Practices at Gunston

By Ethan Rothstein

Soccer ballThe Arlington Soccer Association’s club practices at the turf by Gunston Middle School (2700 S. Lang Street) have been targeted by thieves last week.

The ASA sent an email to soccer parents Sunday night alerting them that thieves had stolen items, including smartphones, from the fields while the teams were practicing. The first incidents of theft happened on Tuesday, according to the email, with soccer balls, phones and several travel bags taken.

“In response to the first incidents on Tuesday, ASA issued guidelines for personal property management to our travel team coaches and team managers that included specific suggestions to mitigate potential issues at Gunston and Virginia Highlands [Park],” the email states. “Despite this, issues continued several times during the week.”

One witness to a theft Tuesday night said it was perpetrated by a 15 year-old.

“A 15 year old youth grabbed two soccer backpacks and started running,” said the witness, who declined to be identified. “Fortunately, bystanders chased and caught the thief and held him until the police arrived. Since each backpack contained a smartphone, the police told us that he would be charged with attempted grand larceny.”

ASA said the Arlington County Police Department has agreed to station more officers, both on foot and in vehicles, at the fields during practice. The ASA has also issued guidelines to its players that include the best place to leave bags during practice at Gunston — behind the goal closest to the school — and a request for each team to provide two volunteers to help supervise practice.

Man in Pajama Pants Seen Masturbating in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police car (file photo)A young man wearing pajama pants was reportedly seen masturbating in Ballston Friday morning.

The incident was reported at 7:25 a.m. on Friday. According to Arlington County police, an 18-year-old woman said she saw a man pleasuring himself next to a fence on the 1100 block of N. Stafford Street, which is about two blocks away from the Ballston Metro station and one block away from Washington-Lee High School.

“The suspect is described as a white male, 20-30 years of age, and approximately 6’0”,” according to the ACPD crime report. “At the time of the incident he was wearing a blue skull cap, a dark blue jacket, and red plaid pajama pants.”

Crime Report: Peepers, Creepers

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Police are investigating a string of creepy crimes in North Arlington.

Early Monday morning, a suspect was seen peeping into a bedroom window in Cherrydale.

PEEPING TOM, 140203028, 2100 block of N. Taylor Street. On February 3 at 2:15pm, a victim reported that around 1am that previous night, while he was sleeping, his girlfriend awoke and saw an unknown subject’s shadow looking into the bedroom window. The victim then yelled and the suspect fled. There is no suspect description.

Later Monday morning, a man in the North Highland neighborhood allegedly ran up and touched a woman’s behind while pleasuring himself.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 140203015, 1600 block of N. 21st Street. On February 3 at 9:56am, a suspect touched a victim’s buttocks as she walked past him and then she turned to see the suspect masturbating. The victim fled the scene. The suspect is described as an approximately 5’9″ white or Hispanic male in his thirties. At the time of the incident the suspect was wearing red plaid pajama pants and a multi-colored headband. The investigation is ongoing.

Monday evening, a woman in Lyon Park reported that someone had moved a lawn chair in her backyard and used it to peep into her bedroom.

PEEPING TOM, 140203047, 700 block of N. Cleveland Street. On February 3 at 7:02pm, a victim reported that between 1/30/14 and 2/3/14, an unknown subject had moved a lawn chair from her backyard to the side of her house, below a bedroom window. It appears that the suspect stood on the chair to see into the bedroom. There is no suspect description. 

The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump. All named suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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UPDATED: Bank Robbery in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com
Phota courtesy of ACPD
Phota courtesy of ACPD
Phota courtesy of ACPD
Phota courtesy of ACPD
1/16

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) Arlington County Police are on the scene of a bank robbery in Shirlington.

The robbery occurred around 12:15 p.m. at the BB&T Bank branch at 2700 S. Quincy Street. Two men in ski masks robbed the bank while armed with at least one handgun.

“At least one of the robbers was armed and jumped the teller counter to obtain money from teller drawers,” police said. “After obtaining the money, both subjects exited the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.”

Investigators could be seen on the ramp from Shirlington Circle to I-395 photographing and picking up a large amount of cash, stained red from a dye pack, on the side of the road. Police scanner traffic also reported that a gun was thrown out of the getaway vehicle on Shirlington Circle, as the suspects fled northbound on I-395 toward D.C.

Four bank employees and three customers were inside at the time of the robbery. Two customers who werethere spoke to reporters after coming out of the bank. They saw the men with their masks and a gun and said they were “very scared.” Customers and bank employees were herded into the bank vault during the robbery, the customers said.

Immediately following the robbery, police were told to be on the lookout for two black males, approximately 30-35 years of age, driving a large blue SUV with D.C. tags.

“Subject one is described as a tall male wearing a dark colored jacket, black ski mask that covered his head, grey or light colored gloves, grey pants and a black backpack,” police said. “Subject two is described as wearing a dark colored jacket with a grey hooded sweatshirt underneath that was pulled over his head and a ski  mask covering his face and light colored gloves.”

From an ACPD press release:

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of these bank robbers.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Arlington County, Virginia, Police Department are investigating this bank robbery and request that anyone with information call the FBI at 202-278-2000 or Detective Cynthia Garcia with the Arlington County Police Department at 703.228.4195 or [email protected] To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Police Investigate Armed Robbery

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police car (file photo)Update at 11:55 p.m. — Police say that the victim reported the crime on Friday afternoon. The actual crime took place at 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30, we’re now told.

Arlington County Police are investigating an armed robbery that took place on a weekday afternoon.

The alleged incident happened just before 2:00 p.m. this past Friday, on the 2700 block of S. Eads Street near Crystal City. Police say a 37-year-old woman was approached by a man with a gun and robbed of her purse and cell phone. The armed man then handed the stolen items to a second suspect before fleeing toward nearby Eads Park.

There’s no indication that the woman was hurt during the robbery.

“The first suspect is described as a Hispanic male, in his early twenties, and approximately 5’3”. He was wearing a dark knit hat, dark scarf covering his face, a dark coat, and jeans at the time of the incident,” the crime report states. “The second suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his early twenties with curly black hair, and approximately 5’5” with a thin build. At the time of the incident he was wearing a black and blue hooded coat and dark pants.”

Strong Arm Robbery Near Clarendon Metro

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police carPolice are investigating a strong arm robbery that occurred just past midnight this morning in Clarendon.

The incident happened on the 1200 block of N. Herndon Street, about two blocks from the Clarendon Metro station, according to the crime report.

“At 12:20 am on January 31, a 28 year-old male victim was stopped by two subjects on the sidewalk. One of the subjects held the victim’s throat while the other subject went through his pockets,” the crime report states. “The suspects fled the scene on foot with the victim’s keys.”

“Suspect one is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’9” tall and 160 lbs. He was wearing a red Under Armour sweatshirt and blue jeans at the time of the incident,” the report continues. “Suspect two is described as a Hispanic male, 5’9” tall and 160 lbs, wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans.”

Crime Report: Man Slapped, Has Bluetooth Headset Stolen

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Last weekend a drunk and disorderly man entered a pizza shop on Columbia Pike and allegedly slapped a man and stole his Bluetooth earpiece.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 140126003, 3200 block of S. Columbia Pike. On January 26 at approximately 12:19am, police responded to a report of a disorderly subject at a pizza shop. The suspect allegedly slapped a victim in the face and grabbed the victim’s Bluetooth earpiece out of his ear and fled the scene. The suspect is described as a white male in his early to mid thirties. He is approximately 6’0″ in height and around 200 pounds with a brown buzz cut. At the time of the incident the suspect was wearing a blue sweater and blue jeans. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump. All named suspected are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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Man Follows, Flashes Gym Patron

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsAn Arlington gym-goer was followed and flashed after leaving the facility on Saturday, police said today.

Police say a man left the L.A. Fitness on the 3500 block of S. Clark Street, near Potomac Yard, just before 8:00 p.m. He was followed to his apartment by another man. Once inside the apartment lobby, the suspect exposed himself, then fled the scene on foot.

“The suspect is described as a black male in his 30s, approximately 6’1” and 230 pounds,” police said in the daily crime report. “At the time of the incident the suspect was wearing a black knit winter hat, a black hooded sweatshirt with red dots and blue jeans. The investigation is ongoing.”

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