robbery

Crime Report: Robbery Outside Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com
File photo

It was a relatively quiet seven days in Arlington, at least according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

In one notable incident, two men reportedly assaulted a man near Ballston Common Mall early Saturday morning, stealing his prescription medication, cash and a cell phone.

ROBBERY, 140920013, 600 block of N. Randolph Street. At 2:26 am on September 20, two subjects assaulted a 29 year-old male victim and stole his prescription medication, cash and cell phone. Suspect one is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’5″ tall and 220 lbs. He was wearing dark clothing and a black baseball hat. Suspect two is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 5’9″ tall and 160 lbs. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans at the time of the incident.

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

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Police: Robbery Suspect Used Brother’s ID

By ARLnow.com

A robbery suspect is facing a host of new charges after police say he tried to pass himself off as his brother following his arrest.

Police say Mora Long, a 26-year-old Sterling resident, was the man captured by Arlington County’s SWAT team early Wednesday morning on Four Mile Run Drive. Police and news outlets initially reported that 29-year-old Rattana Long was arrested, but police now say that Mora was pretending to be his brother in order to have an alibi for the robbery.

The robbery took place Friday afternoon on the 5000 block of Columbia Pike, when a man matching Long’s description robbed a store at knifepoint.

In addition to a charge of assaulting a police officer while allegedly trying to evade arrest, Moran Long is now facing charges of “providing false identity to law enforcement, four counts of forging a public document and identity theft.”

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit has charged a suspect after he provided a false identity following a seven hour barricade situation that ended in the early morning hours of September 10, 2014. Mora Long, 26, of Sterling, VA has been charged with assault on a police officer, providing false identity to law enforcement, four counts of forging a public document and identity theft. At the time of his arrest, he was wanted out of Prince William and Fairfax Counties for additional crimes. He is currently being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

Following an armed robbery of a retail store in the 5000 block of Columbia Pike on September 5, 2014, officers conducted extra patrols of the surrounding area. An individual matching the robbery suspect description was spotted by officers in the afternoon hours of September 9, 2014 in the Columbia Pike Plaza Shopping Center. That individual, Mora Long, was immediately approached and interviewed by officers. During the interview, Long assaulted an officer and then fled on foot to his girlfriend’s apartment in the 4500 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. Long barricaded himself in the apartment until Arlington County Police SWAT entered the residence at approximately 2:00 am and found the suspect in a bedroom closet.

Long initially provided officers with his brother’s identification as it would provide him with an alibi in connection to the September 5th armed robbery and because he knew he was wanted on multiple charges out of other jurisdictions.

Long has not been charged with the armed robbery as that incident remains under investigation by the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit. If anyone has information in regards to the September 5, 2014 robbery of the MetroPCS store in Columbia Pike Plaza, please contact Detective Everest at 703.228.4180 or [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

SWAT Team Captures Barricaded Knifepoint Robbery Suspect

By ARLnow.com
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(Updated on 9/12/14) A man suspected of a knifepoint robbery on Columbia Pike was taken into custody early this morning (Wednesday) after police say he evaded arrest and barricaded himself in his girlfriend’s apartment.

Rattana Mora Long, a 29-year-old Ashburn 26-year-old Sterling resident, was captured by SWAT team members and charged with assault on a police officer. Robbery charges are pending.

Arlington County Police say a man fitting Long’s description robbed a store on the 5000 block of Columbia Pike around 2:00 p.m. on Friday. Despite a search, police were not able to locate him after he fled.

“A subject brandished a knife and stole cash from a register in a store in Columbia Pike Plaza,” according to the police report. “The subject fled through a rear door.”

Last night, a plainclothes ACPD officer spotted Long near the original robbery scene. The officer called for backup, but Long resisted arrest, assaulted a police officer and fled the area, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Long was tracked to the 4500 block of Four Mile Run Drive, where he allegedly barricaded himself and hid in his girlfriend’s apartment. Police negotiators and the county’s SWAT team responded, closing part of Four Mile Run Drive in the process.

Witnesses tell ARLnow.com that police used a loudspeaker in an effort to get Long to answer the phone and lure him out of the apartment. When that didn’t work, shortly after 2:00 a.m., SWAT team members entered the apartment and were able to take him  into custody without further incident, Sternbeck said.

Photos courtesy @annddayy and ACPD

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The new Tellus apartment building in Courthouse

Sen. Gillibrand Apologizes to Arlington — “Sorry, Arlington, didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D) said via Twitter last night, following ARLnow.com’s scoop that she called the county a “soulless suburb” in her new book. County Board member Walter Tejada, meanwhile, couldn’t quite understand why Gillibrand didn’t like living here. “I’m not sure what she was referring to,” he told the Washington Post. “Maybe somebody got in front of her at the supermarket or something like that.” [Washington Post]

Back to U. Va. for Sullivan Campaign Manager — Washington-Lee High School alumnus Jarrod Nagurka is heading back to the University of Virginia, having spent the summer running the successful election campaign of Delegate-elect Rip Sullivan. Nagurka, 20, also served as political director for Del. Patrick Hope’s unsuccessful bid for Congress. “I learned and matured more during that experience than I ever would have in a semester at school,” he said of the campaign. [InsideNova]

Report: Arlington Man Gave Robbery Victim Cash Back — The victim of a robbery in eastern Pennsylvania says the alleged perp — a 38-year-old man from Arlington — gave him him $5 back before running off with his wallet. The robbery occurred outside of a Wawa store near Allentown. The suspect, Timothy Smith, seemed “almost… remorseful,” the victim said. [Lehigh Valley Live]

Flickr pool photo by erkiletian

Crime Report: Cab Drivers Robbed

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police carIn Crystal City last week, two cab drivers were robbed on the same block but in different days.

Both incidents took place on the 500 block of 15th Street S. Both involved two suspects in their twenties. One robbery was committed at gunpoint. The cab driver was assaulted during the other robbery.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 140626002, 500 block of S. 15th Street. At 12:20 am on June 26, two unknown suspects assaulted and robbed a cab driver of cash and his belongings. Suspect one is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’0″ and 160 lbs. He was wearing a black baseball cap, dark jacket over a white t-shirt, jeans, and black and white shoes. Suspect two is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’0″ and 160 lbs. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

ROBBERY, 140629058, 500 block of S. 15th Street. At 11:10 pm on June 29, two unknown suspects robbed a cab driver at gunpoint of cash and his belongings. Suspect one is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’1″ with a skinny build. He had a full beard and was wearing shorts. Suspect two is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’2″ with a skinny build. He was wearing salmon colored shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.

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

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Crime Report: Uber Driver Robbed

By ARLnow.com
File photo

An Uber driver was robbed in Crystal City early Thursday morning.

Police say two men assaulted the driver and took his cash and belongings around 12:20 a.m. From an Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 140626002, 500 block of S. 15th Street. At 12:20 am on June 26, two unknown suspects assaulted and robbed a Uber cab driver of cash and his belongings. Suspect one is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’0″ and 160 lbs. He was wearing a black baseball cap, dark jacket over a white t-shirt, jeans, and black and white shoes. Suspect two is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’0″ and 160 lbs. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

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

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Police Warn of Home Invasion Robbery Scheme

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police Department badgeThe Arlington County Police Department is warning of a home invasion robbery scheme that has victimized at least one local senior citizen.

Police say two men knocked on a door of a home near the water treatment plant in south Arlington over the weekend and claimed to be representatives of a utility company. After the elderly resident let the men in, they locked her in a room while they stole valuables.

ACPD says residents who question the identity of someone claiming to be a utility representative should call the utility company to verify they are who they say they are.

The department issued the following press release about the weekend robbery:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is warning the public about a recent robbery scheme.

On Saturday, June 21, 2014, two suspects knocked on the door of a residence in the 700 block of S. 31st Street at approximately 3:22 p.m. and claimed they needed to perform repair work for a utility company. The elderly female victim allowed the men to enter the residence, where one of the subjects confined her to a room while the other subject rummaged through the remainder of the house. After concealing valuables, the two suspects fled the scene on foot and remain at-large.

Suspect one is described as a white or Hispanic male in his twenties, approximately 5’6″ and 160 lbs. He was wearing a Nike blue t-shirt and had a chipped front tooth. Suspect two is described as a Hispanic male in his twenties, approximately 5’1″ and 145 lbs.

If anyone has information on the identity and/or whereabouts of these individuals, please contact Detective Trainer of the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703.228.4185 or at [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

If you are confronted with a similar situation or claim, make sure to verify that it is actually your utility company. Residents can do this by directly calling the number on your latest bill or by finding the number on the utility company’s main website. Never allow anyone into your home without proper identification.

After making a verification call, if you find that you were a victim of a scam or were a target, please file an online police report at http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/police/incident/new/start-report.html or call the non-emergency police line at 703.558.2222.

Man Arrested for Attacking, Robbing Elderly Man

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:3o p.m. on 12/23/21) A Maryland man has been arrested for allegedly attacking and robbing an 87-year-old Arlington resident.

The incident took place around 4:50 p.m. Saturday afternoon on the 3800 block of 9th Street N., in the Virginia Square area. Police say Melvin [Redacted], 57, grabbed the 87-year-old man by the neck and threw him to the ground before robbing him of the cash in his wallet and fleeing on foot.

“A witness immediately came to the assistance of the victim and contacted police, providing a detailed description of the assailant,” according to an Arlington County Police Department press release. “The victim sustained minor injuries and was treated by medics on scene. At approximately 5:00 p.m., an officer located and detained the suspect on the platform of the Ballston Metro Station.”

[Redacted], a Capitol Heights, Md. resident, was charged with robbery and held without bond at the Arlington County Detention Facility.

Robbery Suspects Arrested After Dropping Wallet, Phone

By ARLnow.com

Police car lights(Updated 3:15 p.m.) Two men were arrested and another is being sought by police after an alleged robbery that didn’t go quite as planned.

Arlington County Police say the three men robbed a woman of her purse at a hotel on the 2000 block of Jefferson Davis Highway, near Crystal City, around 11:30 p.m. this past Saturday. As they were running away, one of the suspects accidentally left a couple of things behind.

“As the subjects were fleeing, one dropped his wallet and cell phone, which were recovered by security,” according to the police report.

The butter-fingered suspect was arrested after he went back to the hotel to try to find his belongings, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Another was arrested at his home a short time later.

“Muqtadir Mustafa, 19, of Arlington, Va. and Andre Costa, 19 of Arlington, Va. were arrested and charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery,” the police report said.

A third suspect, whose identity is now known to police, remains at large.

Crime Report: Robbery Foiled by Armed Victim

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County police carA man was reportedly able to scare away four people trying to rob him in his apartment when he drew a handgun.

Police say the 27-year-old victim was taking out the trash last Friday night in the Arna Valley View neighborhood near S. Glebe Road. When he returned to his apartment, four alleged, would-be robbers forced their way in.

As two of the suspects rifled through his things, the victim said there was a brief struggle and he was able to draw a pistol. The suspects then reportedly dropped everything and ran off.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY BY FORCE, 140602055, 2700 block of S. Adams Street. On May 30 at 11:30 pm, a 27 year old victim was allegedly forced into his apartment by four subjects and robbed of his wallet and cellphone. The victim brandished a firearm and the suspects dropped his belongings and fled on foot. Suspect one is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 6’1″ and 210 lbs. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt, light blue jeans, and white Nike sneakers. Suspect two is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately 5’9″ and 155 lbs. He was wearing an oversized green polo t-shirt, brown khakis, and brown boat shoes. Suspect three is described as a Hispanic female in her mid twenties approximately, 5’3″ and 130 lbs with green eyes and black hair. She was wearing a black blouse and checkered pants. Suspect four is described as a black female in her mid twenties approximately, 5’2″ and 120 lbs with a long red wig. She was wearing a purple dress with brown boots.

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

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Crime Report: Clarendon Apple Store Robbed, Perp Flees in BMW

By ARLnow.com
File photo

On Monday afternoon, an alleged thief stole two items from the Clarendon Apple Store and fled the scene in a customized BMW coupe.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report:

ROBBERY, 140324046, 2700 block of N. Clarendon Boulevard. On March 24 at 4:10pm, an unknown suspect fled the Apple Store with two items without paying. He fled the scene in a early nineties model dark blue BMW coupe, with a slightly faded bumper and lower body kit. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 35 years old, and was wearing blue jeans, a light grey hooded sweatshirt with a black jacket on top and tan Timberland boots at the time of the incident.

Early Saturday morning, two men at Darna Lounge (946 N. Jackson Street), near Clarendon, allegedly flashed badges and claimed to be police officers.

IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER, 140322003, 900 block of N. Jackson Street. On March 22 at 12:43am, police responded to a report of two bar patrons displaying badges and claiming to be officers. Samuel Wesley Aples, 40, of Alexandria, VA was charged with impersonating a police officer and private security violations. He was held on a $5000 bond. Austin James Jones III, 30, of Woodbridge, VA was charged with private security violations and was released. Both were banned from the establishment.

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

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