police

Persistent Animal Cracker Sellers Draw Questions

By ARLnow.com

They don’t exactly look like hardened criminals, but some are questioning the persistence of groups of kids who have been selling animal crackers along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

A young animal cracker seller near Market Common Clarendon prompted a citizen to call police this afternoon – apparently out of concern for the child’s welfare – and others, in Rosslyn, prompted a post in our forums.

“For the past few weeks in Rosslyn, I keep seeing kids approaching people on the street and at the outdoor spaces of Cosi/Starbucks, etc. asking them to buy animal cookies for some charity,” the poster wrote. “This seemed suspicious to me as A. there are never any kids in Rosslyn and B. they seem to be cornering people.”

No word on which charity the kids may or may not be working on behalf of.

Photo via Wikipedia

Police Investigate Incident at Capital One Bank in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Update at 5:00 p.m. — “This occurred outside the bank near the ATM in the mall,” Arlington Police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal tells ARLnow.com. “It does not appear to be hazardous at this time and was not a robbery or attempted bank robbery.”

Update at 4:20 p.m. — We’re told that tests have revealed the substance to be “non-hazardous.” At least one patient was transported to the hospital, however.

Police are investigating an incident at the Capital One bank on the ground floor of the Ballston Common Mall (4100 Wilson Blvd).

According to initial reports, an unknown man entered the bank and splashed a “caustic liquid” in the face of two female bank employees. The employees reportedly suffered a burning sensation and the inability to open their eyes. Police are looking for the man, who fled the scene.

Paramedics treated the employees and a hazmat team responded to try to identify the substance. At this time the injuries are not reported to be serious.

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Porsche Carjacked from Arlington Used in D.C. Armored Car Robbery

By ARLnow.com

A Porsche Cayenne carjacked from the Aurora Highlands neighborhood last night was used in a brazen armored car robbery in D.C. this afternoon.

According to Arlington Police, the luxury SUV was stolen around 10:30 last night. Two men wearing masks and pointing guns approached the car after it pulled out of a driveway on the 1100 block of S. 18th Street. The men, described as in their late teens or early 20s, forced two women out of the car, stole their purses and drove off.

Just after noon today, the Porsche and two men — presumed to be the same suspects from last night — were involved in an armored car robbery at 16th and M Streets NW, just south of Scott Circle in the District. The men — one with a machine gun and the other with a 9 millimeter pistol — attempted to hold up a Brinks truck, according to initial reports. It’s unclear if they made off with any money.

Arlington Police were told to be on the lookout for the vehicle this afternoon, shortly after the robbery. Officers were told that the Porsche was last seen speeding north, away from the scene of today’s crime.

File photo

Crime Report: Carjacking Edition

By ARLnow.com

This week’s Arlington County crime report contained an item seen only once or twice in the past year and a half. A couple was carjacked while parked in Pentagon City early Saturday morning.

CARJACKING, 07/09/11, 400 block of S. 12th Street. On July 9 at 1 am, a couple was sitting in a parked vehicle when two unknown men approached the car. The suspects opened the doors and demanded the victims exit. One suspect displayed a handgun and valuables were stolen from the victims. The suspects then drove off in the victim’s car. The car was later recovered in Maryland. The suspects were both African American men approximately 20 years old. One suspect was 5’9″, 140 lbs and wore a grey hooded sweatshirt. The second suspect was 5’5″, 140 lbs, and wore a grey hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.

On Friday, a man was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer in front of his 11-year-old son.

ASSAULT ON POLICE-ARREST, 07/08/11, 4200 block of N. 2nd Road. On July 8 at 6 pm, a man was seen stealing a bicycle. During the investigation, the suspect assaulted a police officer in front of the suspect’s 11-year-old son. Manuel Antonio Alvarado, 28, of Washington D.C., was charged with Assault and Battery on Law Enforcement, Petit Larceny and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. He was held on a $2,500 bond.

Finally, early Sunday morning, a man allegedly cornered a woman at a bar in Ballston, then lifted her skirt and touched her underwear.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 07/10/11, 600 block of N. Glebe Road. On July 10 at 1:15 am, an unknown man cornered a woman at a bar and lifted her skirt, touching her underwear. The suspect is described as a white male with brown hair in his 20’s, 6′ and 180 lbs. He was wearing a blue polo shirt and jeans.

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

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TRAFFIC ALERT — Accident Blocks WB Route 50

By ARLnow.com

Update at 11:35 a.m. — Route 50 has reopened.

A collision between a pickup truck and an SUV blocked both lanes of westbound Route 50 at S. Columbus Street around 10:45 this morning.

The two drivers were treated on the scene and taken to the hospital with injuries described as “minor.” A small fire broke out in one of the vehicle’s engine compartments, but was quickly extinguished by police.

Westbound Route 50 traffic was diverted onto Park Drive, near the Outback Steakhouse. A flatbed truck arrived on scene and towed both vehicles away.

BB&T Bank Robbed in Seven Corners

By ARLnow.com

Another BB&T Bank branch has been robbed, this time in Falls Church.

Arlington Police have been told to be on the lookout for a man who robbed the BB&T branch at 6120A Arlington Boulevard, in Seven Corners. The man was wearing a surgical mask at the time of the robbery and implied that he had a weapon, police have been told.

Three BB&T branches have been robbed in Arlington alone so far this year.

Theft Leads to Dirt Bike Chase Through the Valley

By ARLnow.com

Police are looking for a man who stole a dirt bike in the Shirlington/Nauck (Green Valley) area this afternoon.

The man allegedly stole the green and white dirt bike after being dropped off by another man on a moped. Both the moped driver and the alleged dirt bike thief then tried to flee the area.

Police eventually surrounded the Shelton apartments (3215 24th Street S.) and detained a man believed to the moped driver. He was handcuffed, led to an unmarked police car and taken to the station. The moped was found abandoned outside the building.

The other suspect was reportedly followed by one of the victims, who hopped on another dirt bike and chased the suspect through the streets of the Valley. The victim eventually lost sight of the suspect, but was able to describe his appearance to police.

Update at 2:05 p.m. on 7/8/11 — Two men have been charged with theft of the dirt bike, according to an Arlington County police report item.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO-ARREST, 07/07/11, 3800 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. On July 7 at 2:50 pm, two men stole a dirt bike from a business. Police apprehended both suspects. Reginald Jacobs, 25, of Arlington, and Raymond Young, 21, of Arlington were both charged with Grand Larceny of an Automobile. Young was held on a $500 bond and Jacobs was held on a $1,500 bond.

Crime Report: Unusual Assaults Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, an argument in Alcova Heights turned violent when one man threw his cell phone at another man’s face.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 06/29/11, 3700 block of S. 5th Street. On June 29 at 5 pm, a man threw a cell phone at another man during an argument, striking him on the face.

That same day, a suspect on a motorcycle struck a parking aide with the bike’s wheel as she was trying to write a ticket.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY WITH A VEHICLE, 06/29/11, 1300 block of S. Joyce Street. On June 29 at 9 am, a parking aide was writing a ticket when the owner of a motorcycle confronted him. The suspect left the scene on the motorcycle, striking the parking aide with the motorcycle wheel. The suspect is known.

Then, on the Fourth of July, a man wounded a movie theater employee in Ballston after he was not allowed to bring food into the theater.

UNLAWFUL WOUNDING-ARREST, 07/04/11, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. On July 4 at 4 pm, a man assaulted a movie theater employee when the employee would not allow him to bring food into a movie. Police located the suspect. Franklin Parker, 55, of no fixed address, was charged with Unlawful Wounding. He was held without bond.

After the jump, a more serious assault: a woman is hit in the head with a hammer after she tried to stop a vehicle break-in.

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Man Struck By Car in Rosslyn During Outdoor Movie

By ARLnow.com

A 22-year-old man was struck by a car on N. Lynn Street as moviegoers gathered in nearby Gateway Park for Rosslyn’s outdoor film series Friday night. Police issued the following press release about the incident.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a pedestrian accident that occurred in the 1100 block of North Lynn Street. At approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2011, a Honda Civic struck a man walking through traffic.

The pedestrian, a 22 year-old man, was transported to a local hospital. His wounds do not appear to be life threatening at this time. The driver of the vehicle stayed onscene and is cooperating with police.

There was a large number of people and vehicles in the area at the time of the accident because of an outdoor movie. Only one set of witnesses stayed to wait for police. The Arlington County Police Department reminds people who witness a serious accident or crime to stay in the area in order to provide important information.

Anyone who has additional information about this accident is asked contact Detective Robert Icolari at (703) 228-4240. Det. Icolari can also be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]. Witnesses can also call the Arlington Police Tip-Line at (703) 228-4242.

Crime Report: Four Charged With Cell Phone Robbery

By ARLnow.com

How many people does it take to steal a cell phone and some cash in Ballston? Four, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

ROBBERY-ARREST, 06/23/11, 1100 block of N. Stafford Street. On June 22 at 11 pm, four men confronted and assaulted a man walking down the street. They stole his phone and some currency. Police located the suspects. Taha Bencherki, 20, of Washington D.C., Garland Mines, 25, of no fixed address, D’Lonte Fuller, 21, of Arlington, and Lamont Russ, 21 of Arlington, we all charged with Robbery. They were held without bond.

As always, suspects mentioned in the police department’s crime report are innocent until proven guilty. The rest of this week’s report, after the jump.

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