theft

Crime Report: Liquid Poured On Woman’s Head Before Cash Stolen from Purse

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA woman was walking down the street in the Pentagon City area Friday morning when some sort of liquid was poured on her head, apparently as part of a theft scheme.

Two women who were walking behind the victim at the time offered to help clean up the liquid. After the encounter, the victim walked away, only to realize that cash had been stolen from her purse.

From an Arlington County Police report:

GRAND LARCENY FROM A PERSON (significant), 160923027, 1400 block of S. Eads Street. At approximately 9:54 a.m. on September 23, officers responded to the report of a grand larceny from a person that had just occurred. When on scene, it was determined that a female victim was walking on the sidewalk when she felt an unknown liquid being poured on the back of her head. The victim turned around and two Hispanic females offered to help clean off the substance. The victim then continued to walk off and later realized an undisclosed amount of cash was missing from her purse. The first suspect is described as a Hispanic female, approximately 5’6″ tall and weighed 150 lbs. She was wearing a long sleeve blue and white dress and dark pants. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic female, approximately 5’6″ tall and 150 lbs. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants.

Also in this week’s report, a man was arrested in the Courthouse area Saturday morning after he allegedly walked up to a woman on the sidewalk and grabbed her breast.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 160924027, 1800 block of N. Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 10:25 a.m. on September 24, a female victim was walking on the sidewalk when a male subject approached her and grabbed her breast. The victim screamed causing the suspect to flee the scene. Officers located and apprehended the subject shortly after. Ramy Gabry, 23, of an unknown address, was arrested and charged with sexual battery. He is being held without bond.

The rest of the past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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Caught on Camera: Men Sought in Theft of Wheels in Pentagon City Area

By Andrew Ramonas
1/3

(Updated at 6 p.m.) Two men wanted for stealing tires and rims from at least three cars in the Pentagon City area this month have been caught on camera, Arlington County Police said today.

The thefts happened on the 1600 block of S. Joyce Street around 7:15 a.m. on Sept. 8, the 1300 block of Army Navy Drive around 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 and the 900 block of S. 15th Street around 3 a.m. on Sept. 20.

Similar wheel thefts have been periodically reported in and around Pentagon City over the past few years.

From an ACPD news release:

At approximately 7:15 a.m. on September 8, units were dispatched to the 1600 block of S. Joyce Street for the report of a vehicle being left on concrete blocks with all four tires and rims removed. At approximately 7:30 a.m., officers responded to the 1300 block of Army Navy Drive for the report of a second vehicle located on concrete blocks with all four tires and rims removed. The suspects were captured on surveillance camera pulling up in what appears to be a light colored four door sedan. The first suspect is described as a male wearing a hooded jacket, pants and gloves. The second suspect is described as a medium to dark skinned male with a beard and skull cap.

At approximately 3:00 a.m. on September 20, units were dispatched to the 900 block of S. 15th Street for the report of a vehicle being left on plastic crates with all four tires and rims removed. Unknown suspect(s) entered the parking garage, repositioned the security camera and broke the passenger window to make entry into the vehicle.

Anyone with information on the identity of these individuals or details surrounding these incidents is asked to contact Detective S. Whalin of the Arlington County Police Department’s Auto Theft Unit at 703.228.4159 or at [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Photos via Arlington County Police Department

Crime Report: Man Tries to Steal Motorcycle, Claims to Be Firefighter

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police carA Maryland man was arrested Monday after he allegedly tried to steal a motorcycle in the Pentagon City area.

The incident happened just after noon, a block from the Fashion Centre mall.

Police say the suspect, 34-year-old Michael Black, inexplicably claimed to be a volunteer firefighter after being stopped by officers, even going so far as to flash a fake badge.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

GRAND LARCENY OF AUTO (Significant), 160829019, 1700 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 12:15 p.m. on August 29, officers responded to the report of a suspicious person moving a motorcycle. The subject fled the scene prior to police arrival. A lookout was broadcast and a subject matching the victim’s description was located in the immediate area. Michael Delonte Black, 34, of Oxon Hill MD, was arrested and charged with grand larceny of auto, possession of burglarious tools, impersonating a firefighter, and destruction of property.

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

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Crime Report: Bike Thieves Arrested Near Barcroft Park

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsThree kids were arrested Sunday afternoon along Four Mile Run Drive and charged with stealing bikes.

Police say the juvenile suspects were stealing bike from a bike rack in the area of Barcroft Park.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

At approximately 2:37 p.m. on July 17, officers responded to the report of a larceny in progress. Three juvenile suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing bikes from a bike rack. All three suspects were arrested and charged with grand larceny and released to their parents.

Also Sunday afternoon, police say a couple caught two people burglarizing their home in the Glebewood neighborhood.

BURGLARY, 160717025, 2100 block of N. Brandywine Street. At approximately 1:30 p.m. on July 17, two homeowners returned from a vacation to find a known individual and an accomplice in their residence. After the individuals left, the female victim discovered several items of value to be stolen. Officers located and apprehended the suspects a short time later. Margarita Denison, 34, of Alexandria VA, was arrested and charged with burglary, breaking and entering, and grand larceny. Matthew Pair, 30, of Waldorf MD, was arrested and charged with burglary, grand larceny(x2), and possession of methamphetamine.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Former Mazda dealership in Ballston, now closed

Firings at Peter Chang After Receipt Incident — Three employees have reportedly been fired and the chef’s own daughter is also on the chopping block at Peter Chang restaurant along Lee Highway. The firings come after a server included the insults “i have a small penis” and “im a plad [sic] a**hole” on a customer receipt. Chang has promised to improve service at his restaurant. [Washington Post]

Arlington Restaurants on Cheap Eats List — More than a dozen Arlington eateries have been included in Washingtonian magazine’s list of the top 100 inexpensive restaurants in the D.C. area. Among them: Bayou Bakery, Cheesetique, Pupatella, Ray’s Hell Burger, Yona and Peter Chang. [Washingtonian]

Video of Track Issue at Court House Station — A video taken inside the Court House Metro station shows sparks and smoldering from the track area. The video comes after a number of well-publicized electrical issues at Metro. “It was kind of weird watching infrastructure fail before my very eyes,” said the man who took the video. [Washington Post]

Tech Company Saves the Day for Theft Victims — Course Hero, a Silicon Valley-based company that provides study materials, has paid for a scholarship for the Penn State student whose mom left her purse, with $10,000 in tuition money inside, in an Arlington Falls Church Dunkin Donuts. Police still have not found the woman who stole the purse. [NBC Washington]

Most of Crystal City Could Change Hands — Vornado, the property owner that owns more than half of the square footage in Crystal City, is considering spinning off its D.C. properties from those it owns in New York. [Washington Post]

D.C. Complaining About DCA Flights — D.C.’s attorney general has sent an email to the FAA asking that flights to and from Reagan National Airport be shifted away from the District. In 2015 the FAA received 8,670 noise complaints from those in the District, 6,500 of them from the same person. [Washington Post]

Charges Dropped Against Woman Who Said She Was Drugged Before Stealing Car

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn Hyatt (photo via Google Maps)Prosecutors have dropped charges against a woman who told police she was drugged and sexually assaulted before stealing a car in Rosslyn in February.

The 22-year-old suspect, whose first name is Samantha, was arrested on Valentine’s Day morning after calling police to report that she was “in possession of a vehicle that was not hers.”

From our previous article on the alleged crime:

Samantha, 22, told police she was intoxicated when she took an Uber to District Taco in Rosslyn Saturday night, intent on grabbing some food. Afterward, she walked down to the Hyatt hotel, on the 1300 block of Wilson Blvd, milled about a bit and then allegedly stole a car from the valet.

Samantha’s next recollection, according to police, is waking up in the back seat of the car around 1 a.m., in an unknown location in Arlington. She then drove home, went to sleep, and called police around 9 a.m. to come clean about what happened, said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

After Samantha’s arrest was included in a crime report and in the ARLnow article, her attorney contacted us to say that she was “involuntarily intoxicated and had been the victim of a sexual assault.”

Police were called to a local hospital and took a report of a sexual assault Sunday evening, after the suspect was released from jail, ACPD confirmed after an inquiry from ARLnow.com. “That case is ongoing,” said Savage, the police spokeswoman.

Court records show that Samantha had a preliminary hearing in April and that the charges had been dropped “nolle prosequi.”

Savage said that no arrests have been made in the alleged sexual assault and that police do not have a description of the suspect. Jeff Overand, Samantha’s attorney, did not respond to a request for comment.

UPDATE: Police Release Surveillance Photos from Break-In at Japanese Auto Service

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) Arlington County Police are investigating a break-in and theft at Japanese Auto Service, a service station located between Clarendon and Virginia Square.

The service center, at 3413 Wilson Blvd, has been in business for 19 years, according to owner Ed Lahrime. It was broken into by an unknown suspect early Sunday morning.

From an ACPD crime report:

Japanese Auto Service on Wilson Blvd (photo via http://japaneseautova.com/)“At approximately 4:51 a.m. on March 27, an unknown male subject forced entry into a business and stole several items of value and an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect is described as a white male, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and dark shoes.”

A customer provided ARLnow.com with some additional details about what happened.

“The thief took their cash register and a significant amount of money in cash and checks,” the customer told us. “The store owner was able to provide the police with video of the suspect and they are currently reviewing the footage. Poor guy looked heart broken that his business had been violated like that.”

Lahrime said that his motion detection security system didn’t go off during the break-in, for some reason, and has since been replaced by the security company. He also had to replace a broken window and his cash register. All told, the theft is costing him more than $1,500, along with some sleep and peace of mind, he said.

“I couldn’t sleep that night,” he said. “I had to put my phone [with a connection to the surveillance system] next to me to make sure he didn’t come back to rob us again.”

Police told Lahrime of a number of other recent burglaries and burglary attempts in various parts of the county, from Shirlington to Clarendon, he said. This was the first burglary at Japanese Auto Service since it opened nearly two decades ago.

“Arlington is not safe,” said Lahrime.

Tuesday afternoon Arlington County Police released multiple surveillance images of the suspect, describing him as “a white male in his mid-20’s to early 30’s, wearing dark clothing and a gray hoodie.”

“If anyone has information on the identity and/or whereabouts of this individual, please contact Detective Echenique of the Arlington County Police Department’s Burglary/Larceny Unit at 703.228.4241 or at [email protected],” police said in a press release. “To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).”

“This is an ongoing and active investigation,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

The video shows the thief returning to the scene of the crime a half hour after the initial break-in, apparently to steal some change from the floor, Lahrime added.

UPDATED: Tow Truck Driver Arrested, Charged With Theft and DWI

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:05 p.m. at 12/23/21) A driver who works for an Arlington towing firm was arrested Sunday morning and is now facing numerous theft and drug-related charges.

Philip [Redacted], a 35-year-old Arlington resident, was pulled over by police around 5 a.m. Sunday, on the 4000 block of Wilson Blvd in Ballston, after he was observed conducting an illegal tow by an officer, police said. Around the same time, the owner of the tow company informed police of suspicions that [Redacted] was stealing items from vehicles.

Police say they found “numerous stolen items” inside [Redacted’s] vehicle. It’s unclear whether any of the items came from cars that were being towed. Police located one of the the owners of the stolen items, whose car was broken into but not towed, said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Police also performed a field sobriety test on [Redacted] and found marijuana in the vehicle, said Savage.

[Redacted] faces numerous charges, including three counts of grand larceny, one count of grand theft auto and one count of driving while intoxicated, along with possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance and a civil violation for failing to inform police before performing a tow.

John O’Neill, owner of Ballston-based Advanced Towing, confirmed to ARLnow.com Monday afternoon that [Redacted] had been working for his company.

“I was alerted to suspicious activity and immediately contacted the police who were able to investigate and make an arrest within just a few minutes of my call,” O’Neill said. “For accuracy it is important to point out it is not accurate to say the suspect was performing an ‘illegal tow’ as noted in your article but was apprehended in the process of apparently stealing a car by using a tow truck. The vehicle being stolen and tampered with by the suspect… was not a vehicle subject to being towed pursuant to enforcement of parking restrictions hence it was not a legal or illegal tow.”

“The vehicle was apparently a randomly chosen by the suspect for a vehicle theft,” O’Neill added. [Redacted] no longer works for Advanced, he said.

[Redacted] has had other recent run-ins with the law in Arlington. In 2008 he was charged with possession of marijuana and an unlawful vehicle window tint. Last year he was also charged with DWI, although in January he was found guilty on an amended misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. In February he was charged with a traffic infraction for improper towing.

Police are not releasing the name of the tow company [Redacted] worked for, citing a policy against identifying the employers of those who are are arrested.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

"Bluemont Glacier" (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

Authorities Still Investigating Oil Sheen on Potomac — In an effort to find the source of an oily sheen on the Potomac River near the Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, the Coast Guard, state authorities and the Arlington County Dept. of Environmental Services will be conducting a “dye test.” Non-toxic dye may be seen in the river today. At least 23 birds were were sent to a wildlife rescue organization for cleaning as a result of contact with the oil. [U.S. Coast Guard, Facebook, WJLA]

Two Displaced By Fire Near Clarendon — A structure fire Friday night on the 1200 block of N. Kirkwood Road, near Clarendon, has left two residents displaced. No one was injured in the blaze. The residents are being assisted by the Red Cross. [Twitter, Twitter]

Nauck History Project Seeks Contributions — As part of Black History Month, Arlington County is encouraging residents of the Nauck neighborhood to donate images and stories to the Nauck/Green Valley Heritage Project. The project has an online archive dedicated to preserving the community’s rich history. [Arlington County]

Arlington Makes AARP ‘Healthy’ List — Arlington County is among the top “medium population cities” for those ages 50+ to stay active and healthy, according to new rankings. [AARP]

Clement: Support Governor’s I-66 Plan — Frequent local candidate for elected office Audrey Clement is encouraging Arlingtonians to support the McAuliffe administration’s plan for tolling I-66 inside the Beltway. That plan, which calls for widening I-66 only as a last resort, is preferable to the call from outside the Beltway lawmakers to widen I-66 as soon as possible, Clement says. [Campaign for a Greener Arlington]

Arlington Woman Has Purse With $10K Cash Stolen — Police are looking for a suspect seen stealing a purse with $10,000 cash inside from a Fairfax County Dunkin’ Donuts. The purse was accidentally left behind by an Arlington mother who had saved for years to pay her 18-year-old daughter’s tuition at Penn State. [NBC Washington]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Police: Man Steals Engagement Ring in Pentagon City Mall

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County Police are looking for a man who ran off with a diamond ring while browsing at a jewelry store in the Pentagon City mall.

Police were dispatched to the store around 2:30 p.m. Monday.

A man was in the jewelry store for about 10 minutes looking at rings, said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. At one point, he allegedly grabbed one of the rings — a diamond engagement ring — and took off running.

So far, police have declined to identify the jewelry store or the release the value of the ring.

The suspect is described as a 6-foot-tall black male in his 40s, with a medium build. He was wearing a tan thermal hat and a zip-up sweatshirt at the time of the crime, we’re told.

Baby Jesus Stolen From Church Nativity Scene Near Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Baby Jesus missing from nativity scene outside Calvary United Methodist Church in Aurora Highlands (photo via Facebook)A church near Crystal City is praying for the return of Christ, after a porcelain figure of the baby Jesus was stolen from its nativity scene over the weekend.

Baby Jesus was stolen from outside Calvary United Methodist Church (2315 S. Grant Street), in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood, sometime between 8 p.m. Saturday and the next morning, when parishioners showed up for Sunday worship services.

Police were called and took a report Monday, though hopes of cops catching the perpetrator are low. Rev. Matthew G. Smith said he’s hoping the thief has a change of heart and repents — by returning the Son of God to his rightful place in the manger, at least until the nativity scene is brought inside next weekend. Alternatively, the little Lord could also be left on the front steps of the church or brought, in person, to the front office.

“We have no desire to prosecute,” Smith said. “We would be very happy just to get Him back.”

“Baby Jesus missing,” said a sign posted in front of the nativity scene today. “Please return. No questions asked.”

(No other nativity thefts were reported this year in Arlington, according to an ACPD spokeswoman.)

This was the third time Jesus had been swiped from the church’s nativity scene, and if all works out it wouldn’t be the first time He has been returned, Smith said. The first time, years ago, Jesus mysteriously reappeared in the nativity scene on Christmas morning.

The last time, a few years back, baby Jesus vanished for good. A parishioner ended up ordering a new, hand-painted figure of the young Prince of Peace from Italy and donated it to the church as a replacement.

Close-up of missing baby Jesus signBefore the nativity scene was put on display a few weeks ago, in mid-December, Smith and some church members discussed ways to prevent theft. The nativity scene itself is bolted down, but the Italian baby Jesus is too fragile to be secured in a permanent fashion. While many ideas were proposed, the one that was implemented involved tying fishing line around the porcelain figure. That did not save the Savior; the fishing line was cut by the thief.

Smith said he expects there to be more discussion of nativity security ahead of 2016’s Christmas season. Should the Christ child not be returned, the church will also have to consider raising funds to buy a new one. The pastor said he wasn’t sure of the cost of a new porcelain baby Jesus, but said of the Italian-made model that was stolen, “I’m certain it’s not inexpensive.”

“We will look for ways next year,” to secure baby Jesus, he said, “but we don’t want to chain him in.”

Either way, said Smith, “it’s not going to sour our love of the community or our mission.”

Photo via Facebook

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