police

Video: Realtor Accused of Stealing Homeowner’s Clothes

By ARLnow.com

Photo of Stephen [Redacted] caught on surveillance footage (courtesy photo)
(Updated at 2 p.m. on 12/23/21) A 60-year-old male real estate agent has been accused of stealing women’s clothing from a house that’s for sale in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, Va. The alleged incident was caught on the homeowner’s video surveillance system.

Stephen [Redacted], of Silver Spring, Md., was arrested and charged with burglary and possession of burglarious tools after a homeowner on the 4100 block of 11th Street N. approached police with the video. The homeowner — we’ll call him William (not his real name) — spoke exclusively to ARLnow.com last month on the condition of anonymity.

According to William, the incident took place on Saturday, Feb. 9, while he and his wife were out of town, participating at an out-of-state athletic competition.

[Redacted] entered the house legally and signed in as a real estate agent, in advance of a client showing up to tour the home, but is seen on a surveillance camera going through what William said is his wife’s clothing, in a bedroom closet and a dresser. According to William, [Redacted] pocketed three of his wife’s shirts before the client showed up and [Redacted] is seen leaving the bedroom to answer the door.

William said he and his wife were “creeped out” by the video when they watched it.

“Our reaction was a feeling of being violated by a creep who wanted to go through our things,” he said. “I like to think that people are good, but often times they’re not.”

The video was recorded using a Dropcam, a camera that transmits and records video online via Wi-fi. William said the camera was in plain sight in the bedroom. He said the video also assisted him after he found a razor blade in his garbage disposal following some showings by other real estate agents.

[Redacted] was released on bail following his arrest. Police say his real estate license was “immediately suspended.” Cops are now asking other home sellers to come forward if they believe they might have been burglarized.

“His behavior leads us to believe there are additional victims,” said Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. “He went straight to the closet and the drawers. He knew exactly what he was looking for.”

Amy homeowner who believes they might also have been a burglary victim is encouraged to contact ACPD at (703) 558-2222, or Det. Timothy Parsons at (703) 228-4172 or [email protected].

Video courtesy ACPD. Note: Sound might not be synced with video.

Man Accused of Lewd Act in Sauna, Again

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:55 p.m. on 12/23/21) For the second time in as many months, an Arlington man has been arrested for allegedly masturbating in the sauna of a local health club.

Police were at the LA Fitness club on the 3500 block of S. Clark Street in Crystal City Thursday morning, investigating a separate incident, when a gym user approached officers to tell them about a man he saw masturbating in the public sauna, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Police subsequently arrested 65-year-old Morris [Redacted]. Officers didn’t actually witness the act and [Redacted], the owner of a local hair salon, claimed that he was grooming himself, not pleasuring himself, according to police.

[Redacted] was charged with indecent exposure and released on an unsecured bond. The Arlington resident was also arrested in late December and accused of masturbating in the same sauna.

The gym had not yet revoked his membership because they were awaiting a verdict in [Redacted’s] original case, Sternbeck said.

Memo: Cuts Will Mean Fewer Cops at Community Functions

By ARLnow.com

Police investigate a bank robbery at the Bank of America at 3600 S. Glebe RoadProposed county budget cuts would mean fewer police officers available for neighborhood meetings and events and a reduction in “quality of life” community policing.

As we previously reported, Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s proposed FY 2014 includes the elimination of seven police officer positions by attrition. A new police memo details the potential impacts of those cuts.

“Until now, the Police Department has been able to make reductions without significantly affecting important programs,” says the memo. “That is no longer possible.”

The memo, which was written by three ACPD captains and sent to community groups, is below.

I wanted to share with you the latest news on the County’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget, and how it will affect policing in Arlington.

As you may know, County Manager Barbara Donnellan recently presented her Proposed Budget to the County Board.  She explained that Arlington faces a $22 million budget gap, and proposed closing that gap with a mix of service cuts and a tax rate increase. All County departments have been asked to make cuts.

When asked to identify potential areas for reduction, the police department examined many potential options for reductions including:

  • Responding to calls for police service
  • Enforcement
  • Follow-up investigations

After evaluating potential options, the decision has been made to propose reductions in staffing levels to the current District Policing Teams.  I can assure you that we remain committed to working with the community to ensure that Arlington remains a great place to live, work and visit, but these staff reductions will impact the manner in which the teams currently do business.  We truly value our partnerships with the Arlington Community and will work diligently to continue these strong relationships.  Here are some details about the proposed reductions and how they will change the way we do community policing.

District Policing Team reductions

Twenty officers are currently assigned to the three District Policing Teams. The proposed reduction would ultimately trim that number to 13 sworn staff members. In addition, we will re-assign one captain position currently assigned to the District Teams to form an Operational Support Unit. The Operational Support Unit will be responsible for most of the ancillary duties currently assigned to the district captains and patrol commanders, allowing them to focus on core functions.  We will reorganize our District Policing in two phases.

Phase I

Should the Board accept the reductions as proposed, we will reorganize from three to two Community Policing Teams. These teams will still be geographically assigned.  The exact geographic boundaries have yet to be determined, but our initial plan is to use Route 50 as a dividing line. Any civic associations which exist on both sides of Arlington Boulevard would be assigned to one team, for consistency. In this phase, each team will have one captain, one sergeant, one corporal and three officers.

Phase II

Through attrition, the two teams will eventually be further consolidated to one large team. This single team will include one captain, two sergeants, two corporals and eight officers.  We anticipate that this phase will occur sometime in the next 18 months.

The positions eliminated from the current District Team configuration will be re-assigned to core function areas within the Department.

We realize that some in the community may be concerned about these proposed changes. As you know, communities across the nation have faced years of constrained budgets, the result of the financial crisis, subsequent recession and slow economic recovery. We in Arlington remain very fortunate – we have been able to preserve our core services. Until now, the Police Department has been able to make reductions without significantly affecting important programs. That is no longer possible.

We remain committed to continuing our community partnerships and community policing efforts.  While the staff reductions will certainly limit our ability to continue to provide community policing services at current levels, I can assure you that we will do our best to provide the community with the highest level of service possible.  Our initial assessment of areas where the community may realize a reduction in service from the community policing teams could include the following:

  • Fewer community, civic, business, security meetings/workgroups attended
  • Less participation in general and safety presentations
  • Less opportunity to participate in community events such as picnics, parades, etc.
  • Fewer staff to focus on quality of life issues in a specific community

We will work collaboratively to facilitate a smooth transition into this new structure, should it be adopted.  At this point, no decisions have been made regarding staff assignments, but should the County Board adopt the proposed reductions we will make assignments quickly and ensure that you are kept informed.

Hat tip to John Antonelli

Crime Report: Man Steals Friend’s Phone

By ARLnow.com

A Maryland man was arrested Saturday night after he allegedly stole a female friend’s iPhone.

The man tried to surreptitiously smuggle the phone out of his friend’s apartment during a visit, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

While his friend was walking him to his car, her phone — which has a distinctive ringtone — started to ring, Sternbeck said. The woman tried to get the phone back, but the man got in his car and started to drive away, bumping the woman with the car in the process, according to Sternbeck.

The man was later arrested when he was pulled over for having improperly tinted windows. Police made the connection to the previous incident during the traffic stop, Sternbeck said. From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 02/23/13, 1800 block of Crystal Drive. At 8 pm on February 23, a known subject stole a victim’s iPhone from her apartment. The victim chased the subject to the parking lot where she was bumped with the subject’s vehicle as he attempted to flee the scene. The subject was located during a traffic stop for improper tint approximately three hours later. Durell Adrian Hines, 20, of Capitol Heights, MD, was arrested and charged with robbery. He was held without bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Fees for Parks, Events Set to Increase

By ARLnow.com

Athletic field at Long Bridge Park

Fees could soon be going up on bocce players, race runners and adult sports competitors in Arlington.

Along with advertising a property tax increase, the Arlington County Board on Saturday voted to advertise new parks and police fees. Among them:

  • New $100 per team adult sports league surcharge, to go to county’s Field Fund
  • New $10/hour bocce court rental fee
  • Tennis rental fee increase from $5 to $10/hour
  • Baseball and multi-use field rental fee increase of $5/hour. New rates range from $35 to $130/hour
  • Trail event permit fee increase from $50 to $150 (impacts trail races)
  • Police special event per-officer special event fee increase from $50 to $60/hour (impacts road races, etc.)
  • Enjoy Arlington non-resident fee increase from $10 to $20/class

If included in the final FY 2014 budget, the county expects the parks fee increases to generate an additional $158,188 in revenue, and the police fee increase to generate an additional $110,000.

Police: Chicken Stolen from Crock Pot

By ARLnow.com

Crock PotArlington County Police responded to a bizarre reported burglary on Tuesday afternoon.

A resident on the 600 block of S. Carlin Springs Road told officers that someone stole a chicken from her crock pot as it was cooking. It happened sometime between 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., while the resident was away from the apartment.

“She returned to find the chicken had been taken, and there were only vegetables remaining in the crock pot,” said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

How the chicken was taken remains a bit of a mystery. There was no sign of forced entry and Sternbeck noted that there was no pet in the apartment that might have stolen the chicken for a meal.

“We suspect fowl play,” Sternbeck quipped.

Photo via Crock-Pot.com

Crime Report: Indecent Exposure in Columbia Forest

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) A 21-year-old Arlington man was arrested and charged with indecent exposure after an incident on Monday afternoon.

Police say the man exposed himself to a woman as she walked from an apartment building in the Columbia Forest. She eventually entered 7-Eleven store, at which the man finally stopped exposing himself.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 02/18/13, 1000 block of S. Frederick Street. At 1 pm on February 18, a subject exposed himself to a female victim on the side of an apartment building. The subject followed the victim and continued to expose himself until she entered a 7-11 store. Police located the subject a short time later and placed him in custody. Kendrick Webb Raphale, 21, of Arlington, VA, was charged with indecent exposure. He was held on a $3,000 secured bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Six Arrested After Road Rage Incident in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police car (file photo)Five adults and one juvenile were arrested after a road rage incident in Pentagon City on Sunday.

The incident started at around 4:00 p.m. near Costco. Police say two cars were turning left on 15th Street S. from S. Fern Street when, for some unknown reason, tempers flared and horns started beeping. The two vehicles, a 2008 Chevrolet Impala and a 2004 Mercedes-Benz S450, made the turn and pulled to the side of the 500 block of 15th Street S.

A 16-year-old juvenile and an adult got out of the Impala and started arguing with a man who got out of the Mercedes, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The juvenile punched the Mercedes driver in the face, then both parties returned to the Impala, he said.

Before the they could drive off, the Mercedes driver pulled a wooden 2×4 post from the ground and smashed the back window of the Impala, Sternbeck said. At that time all five occupants of the Impala jumped out of the car and allegedly assailed the Mercedes driver.

They punched the man, dragged him to the sidewalk, struck him with the 2×4 multiple times, smashed the front windshield of his car, and then dragged him into some bushes, according to Sternbeck. The victim reportedly suffered severe cuts to his hands, requiring stitches; a fractured right elbow; bruising to his upper body, including his arms and face; and large welt on top of his head.

During the fracas, a neighbor came out and tried to break up the fight. The neighbor’s efforts were rebuffed and he or she maintained a safe distance from the fight due to fear, Sternbeck said.

The four adults in the Impala — Lavell Jeffries, Bernard Payton, Larry Johnson and Jeremiah Greer, all from D.C. and between the ages of 18 and 19 — were charged with malicious wounding by mob and held on a $2,000 bond. The juvenile was charged with malicious wounding by mob and destruction of property, and was released into the custody of his mother.

The driver of the Mercedes, 34-year-old Maurice Cox of Arlington, was charged with DUI and destruction of property.

File photo

Garage Burglary Suspects Arrested

By ARLnow.com

Suspects arrested for alleged apartment garage burglaryFour people were arrested last night after they allegedly tried to steal items from cars in an apartment parking garage.

Three males, including a 17-year-old juvenile, entered an apartment building in the Columbia Heights West neighborhood by following a resident through the front door, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. As they entered they put on masks and gloves and went down to the garage, Sternbeck said.

A resident called police around 11:25 p.m. after observing suspicious individuals looking into cars. Police arrived at the building, on the 800 block of S. Greenbrier Street, and arrested the three suspects inside the garage, Sternbeck said.

A woman, who police say was the getaway driver, was later arrested in a van outside the apartment. She apparently didn’t notice the commotion inside the garage because she was talking on her cell phone when the arrests were made, Sternbeck said.

The two adult men — Charles Messiah of Annandale and Kareem Taylor, both 19 — were charged burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One was also charged with resisting arrest.

The female suspect, 19-year-old Ciarra Rice of Lorton, was charged conspiracy to commit burglary.

Sternbeck recommended that residents be mindful of individuals trying to gain access to apartment buildings and secured parking garages. He also commended the resident who alerted police to this incident.

Photos courtesy ACPD

Couch Causes Accident on I-395

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Police CarA rogue couch caused a single-vehicle accident on I-395 last night, according to police radio traffic.

The couch fell off a truck on southbound I-395 near the Pentagon. It’s unclear if the victim of the accident ran into the couch or swerved and ran into a highway barrier.

No injuries were reported. Police attempted to locate the owner of the couch, but as of this morning no police report has been filed, according to an ACPD spokesman.

File photo

Crime Report: Cab Driver Punched

By ARLnow.com

An intoxicated man tried to rob a cab driver, then punched him in the face, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

Police say the incident started as Arlington resident Christopher Arrington, 31, was providing turn-by-turn directions to the cab driver. The driver demanded to know a specific address, at which time the men started fighting. According to police, Arrington tried to grab cash the driver had placed in a cup holder. A struggle ensued and police say Arrington punched the driver in the face.

He was arrested at the scene, on the 3100 block of Columbia Pike, according to the crime report.

ROBBERY, 02/10/13, 3100 block of S. Columbia Pike. At 2:07 am on February 10, a subject attempted to rob a cab driver and assaulted the driver by punching him in the face. Police arrived on scene and took the subject into custody. Christopher Arrington, 31, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with robbery. He was held without bond.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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