police

Teen With Gun Spotted, But Not Found

By ARLnow.com

A search for a teenager spotted with a gun on the W&OD trail this morning caused some anxious moments but turned up nothing.

The call came in to police around 11:15 a.m., stating that a young male wearing a black ski mask and holding something that looked like an assault rifle was spotted in the Madison Manor neighborhood. The teen and a companion were heading toward the pedestrian bridge that crosses I-66 near Ohio Street, just east of East Falls Church on the W&OD trail.

Police officers swarmed the area. At least three witnesses reported seeing the same teen, who was accompanied by another young male who was carrying a camera bag and a camera.

A half-hour search of the Madison Manor, Westover and East Falls Church neighborhoods turned up nothing, and eventually the search was called off. During the search extra security measures were put in place at McKinley Elementary School. One tipster reported that some roads were blocked in the area during the search.

Discounted Registration for 9-11 5K Ends Today

By ARLnow.com

Registration for the Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5K Run will get more expensive after today.

The annual race will be held on Sept. 10 this year. Registration is $25 today, $30 from Aug. 5 to Sept. 9 and $35 on race day. Teams (including firefighter, law enforcement and military teams) need to be registered by Sept. 1.

The race will kick off at 6:00 p.m. from the DoubleTree Hotel in Pentagon City (300 Army Navy Drive). Runners will follow a course that will take them past parts of the Pentagon. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trader Center and the Pentagon.

Proceeds from the race will benefit 9-11 related charities, including the Fisher House Foundation, the Wounded Warrior Project, Operation Purple, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

Organizers are looking for volunteers to work on race day. Volunteers will be asked to pass out food and water and assist with other race duties. Anyone interested in volunteering can find more information here.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Bank Robbery Reported in Falls Church

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Police have been told to be on the lookout for a man who just robbed a bank in Falls Church.

The man reportedly robbed the Sun Trust bank at 603 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. According to initial reports, he displayed a large handgun and demanded money, then made a getaway on a red bicycle.

The man is described as a six-foot tall black male — which does not fit the description of the man who robbed a Wachovia bank in Clarendon yesterday morning.

This is the eighth reported bank robbery in the Arlington and Falls Church areas since the beginning of June.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Happy Birthday, Mr. President — Last night’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting included a special birthday tribute to President Barack Obama, who turns 50 today. ACDC members sang a rendition of “happy birthday” and then chowed down on slices of birthday cake.

Suspect Eludes Cops, Helicopter — A man suspected of an unspecified crime in another jurisdiction fled from Arlington police just after 10:00 last night. The man took off on foot during a traffic stop on the 1700 block of N. Quebec Street, just north of W-L High School. Police set up a perimeter, called in K-9 units and requested assistance from the U.S. Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter, in an effort to find the man. The search was called off around 11:30, but all was not lost — police were able to nab the three other suspects in the vehicle.

Stolen iPhone Dealers Busted in Pentagon City — Two cellular phone kiosks in the Pentagon City mall have been busted by Metro Transit Police for allegedly selling stolen iPhones. The illegality was discovered while police were investigating “the theft of a large number of electronics equipment from Metro riders in early 2010.” [Washington Examiner]

Arlington’s Low Transportation Costs — Rent and real estate costs in Arlington may be high, but the average cost of transportation is relatively low. According to a new study, transportation (car and transit expenses combined) costs Arlington residents about $975 per month. The regional average is $1,246. “Transportation costs in Arlington County are significantly lower than the regional average due to high levels of transit connectivity and job access,” the report says. [Center for Neighborhood Technology, DCist]

Crime Report: Armed and Dangerous Edition

By ARLnow.com

Guns were involved in two notable incidents from this week’s Arlington County crime report.

Last Wednesday, an argument in the Pentagon City mall food court turned dangerous when a man brandished a handgun at three teenagers. Police say the suspect was accompanying a pregnant woman at the time.

BRANDISHING, 07/27/11, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. On July 27 at 9:20 pm, a group of three teenage males argued with a male and female couple in the food court. The male brandished a handgun at the teenagers before leaving the area. The suspect is described as a white male with brown hair in his mid-30’s, 5’10’ and 200 lbs. He was wearing a black polo shirt and jeans. He was in the company of a pregnant white female in her early 30’s. She was wearing a long black dress.

On Monday, two suspects surprised a group of guys playing poker in a Rosslyn apartment when they burst in, displayed a handgun and took everybody’s money.

ROBBERY, 08/01/11, 1100 block of Arlington Boulevard. On August 1 at 1:50 am, numerous men were in an apartment conducting a poker tournament. Two unknown men entered the apartment, displayed a gun and demanded money and the victim’s wallets. One suspect is described as an African American male in his mid-20’s, 6’2″ and skinny. He wore a red bandana over his face and a red Washington national baseball cap. The second suspect was an African American male, 5’8″, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and a red bandana.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump. (more…)

Two Charged With False Robbery Report

By ARLnow.com

Police have arrested a business owner and his employee and charged them with making up a story about a robbery in order to collect insurance money.

On the morning of Friday, June 10, a woman called police and claimed that two African American men in their 20s had stolen a $20,000 bank deposit from her as she approached the Wachovia bank at S. George Mason Drive and Columbia Pike. According to the crime report at the time, she described one suspect as thin with dark clothing and the other as heavyset with a black shirt and khaki pants.

Numerous police officers responded to the call and searched the area for the suspects. In the end, police say, the story was nothing but a ruse to collect insurance money.

Tomas Benitez, 49, the owner of a small Columbia Pike business called Eagle Communications, was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Grand Larceny. Police say he instructed his employee, 44-year-old Patricia Lopez, to report the robbery so that he could make an insurance claim.

Lopez has been charged with Filing a False Police Report.

D.C. Man Charged With Liquid Attack at Ballston Bank

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) An arrest has been made in the case of two female bank employees who were splashed in the face with a caustic liquid in Ballston two weeks ago.

On the afternoon of July 19, a man approached the employees outside the Capital One Bank in Ballston Common Mall and allegedly threw a liquid at them. Although the liquid was later determined to be “non-hazardous,” it reportedly caused the women to suffer a burning sensation and the inability to open their eyes. The man fled the scene and managed to elude police.

On July 29, however, police say the suspect was spotted near the bank again. Officers took the man, identified as 33-year-old Rodolfo Caguay of the District, into custody. He’s charged with Malicious Wounding by Caustic Substance.

Photo by Katie Pyzyk

Surveillance Photos from Morning Robbery Released

By Katie Pyzyk

  Arlington Police are asking for your help with finding a man who robbed a Ballston bank this morning.

A man entered the Presidential Bank at 901 N. Stuart Street at 10:11am and demanded money from a teller.  He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect is described as a black male with facial hair, in his late 40’s, 5’6” with a medium build. At the time of the robbery he wore a white short-sleeved polo shirt, light colored pants, a white baseball cap and dark shoes. The suspect also had a light colored towel draped over his shoulder.

Anyone who has information about this robbery or the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703-228-4242, or Detective Gary Skeens at 703-228-4166. Det. Skeens can also be reached by email at [email protected].

Crime Report: Restaurant Rumbles Edition

By Katie Pyzyk

This week’s crime report features several incidents in restaurants.

ATTEMPT MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 07/20/11, 900 block of N. Stafford Street. On July 20 at 7 am, two men walked out of a restaurant without paying for their bill. When confronted by the manager, one suspect brandished a knife and attempted to wound the manager. Police located that suspect. Dwight Wright Jr., 32, of Washington D.C., was charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding and Petit Larceny. He was held without bond.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 07/20/11, 2600 block of S. Jefferson Davis Highway. On July 20 at 2:10 pm, a man and women argued at a fast food restaurant. She threw a drink at him and brandished a small knife before leaving the area in a tan Nissan. The suspect is an African American woman in her 30’s, 5’5″, 180 lbs. She was wearing a white uniform shirt, blue uniform pants and a hat that displayed a badge.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 07/21/11, 5000 block of Columbia Pike. On July 21 at 10:45 pm, an unknown woman assaulted another female at a fast food restaurant. The suspect is described as a white female with brown hair and a large build wearing a blue shirt, light blue low cut pants and white and blue shoes.

Here’s a reminder that minors should be accounted for at all times.

EXPOSURE-ARREST, 07/20/11, 1200 block of N. Fillmore Street. On July 20 at 3 pm, a teenage male approached a woman he did not know and kissed her. When she pulled away, he exposed himself. A short time later, the same subject approached another woman and grabbed her shoulder. Police located the 13-year old suspect and he was released into his parents’ custody.

EXPOSURE, 07/20/11, 2700 block of Wilson Boulevard. On July 20 at 2:30 am, a woman was walking when an unknown male ran past her, exposing himself. The suspect is described as white male in his late teens with brown hair and dark rimmed glasses. He was wearing a dark colored t-shirt, jeans, and black Converse style shoes.

The rest of the report is after the jump.

(more…)

Crime Report: Bus Driver Assaults Women

By ARLnow.com

Last Wednesday, according to the latest Arlington County crime report, a bus driver assaulted two women after one of the women tossed a drink at him.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 07/13/10, 800 block of N. Randolph Street. On July 13 at 1:15 pm, a bus driver assaulted two women after one of the women threw a soda at him. Joseph Milliner, 40, of Temple Hills, MD, was charged with two counts of Assault and Battery. He was released on his own recognizance.

See the rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

(more…)

Officer Hurt in Early Morning Crash

By ARLnow.com

An Arlington police officer suffered serious injuries after a crash in Ballston early this morning.

Around 2:15 a.m. the officer was “responding to a call for a disturbance at a bar” at Ballston Common Mall when his cruiser collided with another car at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Glebe Road.

The officer is reported to be in serious condition while the driver’s injuries are said to be non-life threatening.

The intersection was closed for part of the morning, but has since reopened. WJLA.com has more.

Update at 1:40 p.m. — Police have released a statement about the incident. We’re told that the officer was responding to a call at Bailey’s Pub & Grill in Ballston. He’s expected to make a full, long-term recovery.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a serious accident that occurred this morning in the intersection of North Glebe Road and Washington Boulevard. An Arlington County police cruiser collided with another car in the intersection and the officer was transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

At approximately 2:16 a.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, police were dispatched to a large group of disorderly subjects at the Ballston Mall. Directly after, an accident involving a police officer was reported to the communications center. Medic units transported a police officer to a local hospital with serious injuries. The officer, age 40, has been with the Arlington County Police Department for almost five years. The driver of the other vehicle, a 21 year old woman, sustained minor injuries but was also transported to the hospital.

Traffic was shut down in the immediate area for a significant time period while officers collected evidence at the scene. Preliminary investigation reveals that the police officer was traveling southbound on North Glebe Road, proceeding straight through the intersection. The investigation is still ongoing and more information will be released when available.

Anyone who has additional information about this accident is asked contact Detective P. Mulvaney at (703) 228-4239. Witnesses can also call the Arlington Police Tip-Line at (703) 228-4242.

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