theft

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Looking at the Key Bridge and Rosslyn (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)

Obit for a Local Legend — “John T. ‘Til’ Hazel Jr., a Virginia lawyer and developer who played a crucial role in building the Capital Beltway and transforming Northern Virginia from a rural outpost of Washington into an economic powerhouse, died March 15 at his home… He was a force behind the rise to prominence of GMU, acquiring land and lobbying for a school of law in Arlington, Va.” [Washington Post, Virginia Business]

County Holding Covid Remembrance — “The County Board invites members of our community to join in remembering Arlington neighbors who have lost their lives to COVID-19 over the past two years… Saturday, March 19, 2022 | 02:00 PM.” [Arlington County]

Repeated Thefts from Courthouse CVS — “The male suspect entered into the business, went behind the counter and attempted to open the cash register before being confronted by an employee. The suspect then walked through the store and stole a beverage and food items before leaving. The suspect then reentered and exited the business two more times, stealing more beverages and food items in the process. During his third entry into the business, the suspect was confronted by an employee and attempted to throw a beverage at a witness who approached him. The suspect then fled the scene on foot but returned a short time later and was taken into custody by responding officers.” [ACPD]

Beyer Blasts Plane Plan — “Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Representative of Northern Virginia and member of the Quiet Skies Caucus, today wrote to the heads of the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Aviation Administration seeking a halt to procedural changes for regional airplane flight patterns. Beyer’s letter noted that the because the changes were not preceded by an environmental review process and were implemented just before a major drop-off in flights caused by the pandemic, their impact on noise levels in the region is just starting to be felt in full for the first time now.” [Press Release]

It’s St. Patrick’s Day — Rain in the morning and afternoon. High of 57 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:18 am and sunset at 7:18 pm. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent

Arlington detectives honored for recovering $89,000 of stolen goods

By Matt Blitz
Detectives Parsons and Galiatsos honored by a national task force for organized retail crime (Image via Twitter/ACPD)

Two Arlington County detectives are being recognized for leading an investigation that led to $89,000 of stolen merchandise being recovered.

The TJX National Task Force for Organized Retail Crime, formed by the parent company that owns department store TJ Maxx, honored Arlington detectives Tim Parsons and Diane Galiatsos earlier this week for their part in arresting a man and recovering tens of thousands of dollars of stolen property.

In December, police got a tip from the task force about an employee stealing merchandise from a business on the 1100 block of S. Joyce Street in Pentagon City, ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage tells ARLnow.

Perhaps not coincidentally, that’s the same block as the T.J. Maxx in Pentagon City, though ACPD typically does not reveal the identity of businesses that have been victims of crimes.

A police investigation was launched and resulted in an employee being arrested and charged with embezzlement and larceny with the intent to sell. The police recovered $89,000 of merchandise.

The case remains active and in the court system, notes Savage.

“Det. Parsons and Det. Galiatsos are an inspiration to your organization. The professionalism and participation put forth in this case sets an example for other Law Enforcement Agencies to follow,” the award reads. “With the highly impactful nature of this case and the quick closure, we at TJX are very thankful for the ongoing partnership with the Arlington County Police Department.”

Organized retail crime is defined as two or more persons illegally obtaining retail merchandise in large quantities as “part of an unlawful commercial enterprise,” according to Loss Prevention Magazine.

Since police statistics do not specifically track organized retail crime, Savage said she could not provide ARLnow with data about its prevalence in Arlington. However, last year the county experienced a wave of a crime, with a seemingly organized group of burglars breaking into numerous cash-based local businesses to steal money and items.

Besides TJX, ACPD also partners with the Mid Atlantic Organized Retail Crime Alliance (MAORCA) to share information on these types of crime in the region.

Three arrested after theft, scuffle with police in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Two men and one woman are behind bars after police say they stole items from a Pentagon City store and tried — unsuccessfully — to flee from officers.

The incident happened around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday on the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. (That’s the same block as the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall, though Arlington County police typically do not name the businesses that have been the victims of crimes.)

What started as a retail theft escalated to an assault on police after officers were able to quickly locate the suspects, according to a crime report.

“Police were dispatched to the report of a larceny in progress. Upon arrival, officers observed the three suspects fleeing from the business and gave them commands to stop,” said an ACPD crime report. “As the officers were taking Suspect One into custody, he resisted arrest and attempted to flee the scene. A struggle ensued, during which Suspect Two acted disorderly and attempted to strike the officers as they took Suspect One into custody.”

“Additional units arrived on scene and took into custody Suspect Two, as well as Suspect Three who was located on the metro platform,” the crime report continues. “During the course of the investigation, Suspect Three provided false identifying information, however the officers were able to subsequently properly identify him.”

One officer was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries, ACPD said.

Stolen merchandise was allegedly recovered from two of the suspects. A 21-year-old man, 36-year-old woman and 23-year-old man are now facing charges ranging from petty theft to assault on police to identify theft.

NEW: Eyeglass bandits strike again, this time in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
Visual Health optometrist in Clarendon (via Google Maps)

An optometrist office one block from the Clarendon Metro station was the latest apparent victim of a band of eyeglass bandits.

The robbery happened last night shortly after 6 p.m. at Visual Health (3012 Wilson Blvd). Police say a group of three suspects entered the store, grabbed handfuls of glasses, and ran to a getaway vehicle that then sped off.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report today:

GRAND LARCENY (significant), 2022-02160206, 3000 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 6:13 p.m. on February 16, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, officers determined the incident was a grand larceny. The investigation determined that Suspect One entered into the business and began grabbing eyeglasses. A short time later, Suspects Two and Three entered into the business and also began grabbing eyeglasses. All three suspects then ran out of the business with the stolen merchandise and entered into a vehicle before fleeing the area. The three suspects are described as Black males, approximately 5’8″ – 5’10”. Suspect One was wearing all black clothing and a black ski mask. There is no clothing description for Suspects Two and Three. The suspect vehicle is described as a black sedan. The investigation is ongoing.

The suspect descriptions and modus operandi are similar to a group implicated in a series of smash-and-grab eyeglass heists around the region over the past month or so.

Among the half-dozen or more previous incidents was a $60,000 eyeglass theft from Arlington’s EyeSee Optique on Columbia Pike on Jan. 11; another eyeglass smash-and-grab at Bauer’s Optical, near Fairlington in Alexandria, on Jan. 20; and a Feb. 1 smash-and-grab at Village Eye Center in McLean.

“Based on the similar circumstances of the incidents, the Arlington cases are being investigated as a series,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The investigation into these incidents is ongoing and Arlington detectives continue to collaborate with our regional law enforcement partners to identify crime trends in the region and apprehend suspects involved.”

The thieves are believed to be targeting eyeglasses due to their relatively small size and high resale value.

Photo via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Wreaths being removed from Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday (Photo by Staff Sgt. Priscilla Desormeaux/U.S. Army National Guard)

Beyer Running for Reelection — “U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D) made it official on Monday. He will be running again to represent the Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, according to a statement released Monday. Victoria Virasingh, who launched her campaign back in August, will face Beyer in the Democratic Party Primary on June 21. So far, two GOP candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the 8th Congressional District seat, Monica Carpio and Heerak Christian Kim.” [Patch]

Fate of Police Auditor Bill Uncertain — “Legislators working on behalf of a request from the Arlington County government are shepherding measures through the General Assembly providing for creation of an independent police auditor for the county… an enabling measure by Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington-Fairfax-Loudoun) cleared the Committee on Local Government 10-5, but passed the state Senate on a slim party-line 21-19 vote. That could spell trouble in the House of Delegates, where Republicans now hold the majority.” [Sun Gazette]

Tires and Rims Stolen in Crystal City — “2100 block of Richmond Highway. At approximately 1:34 p.m. on January 23, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 2:00 p.m. on January 22 and 1:23 p.m. on January 23, the unknown suspect(s) stole tires and rims from four vehicles. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.” [ACPD]

Rainy Snow Day Was Forecast Failure — “It wasn’t quite a mea culpa, and there was a lot of shade cast in other directions, but Superintendent Francisco Durán kinda, sorta intimated that school officials blew the call in closing schools on Jan. 20 for what turned out to be… rain. ‘This one was very difficult,’ Dúran told School Board members at their meeting later that night. ‘The forecast we had… did not pan out as expected from what we received from our local weather and national weather sources.'” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Tuesday — Today will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 44 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph. Sunrise at 7:19 a.m. and sunset at 5:22 p.m. Tomorrow will be sunny, with a high near 30 and wind gusts as high as 18 mph. [Weather.gov]

Photo by Staff Sgt. Priscilla Desormeaux/U.S. Army National Guard

ACPD: Man with gun steals cash from tip jar of local business

By Brandi Bottalico

A man with what looked like a BB gun stole cash from the tip jar of a business in the Ballston area on Saturday afternoon, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

The robbery happened around 3:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of N. Glebe Road, yesterday’s ACPD crime report said.

A man approached the register, brandished what is believed to be a BB gun, and stole cash from the tip jar before he fled on foot, says ACPD’s crime report that was posted yesterday. Police did not find the suspect when they arrived. The department is still investigating.

The robbery over the weekend follows two recent, similar tip jar robberies in the area. ACPD reported a robbery in Rosslyn on Jan. 9 in which a man entered a business, showed a firearm and took money from a tip jar. Less than an hour later, an armed man in D.C., near Metro Center, stole from a tip jar.

“Based on the similar circumstances in both incidents, the two robberies (2022-01090110 and 2022-01150127) are being investigated as a series,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The investigation into these incidents is ongoing and Arlington County detectives continue to collaborate with our regional law enforcement partners.”

Savage advised anyone with information related to the investigation call ACPD’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

A few blocks south, later on Saturday evening, an employee was assaulted after confronting someone they believed was stealing from the business. Three men entered the business in the 700 block of N. Glebe Road and began to look at merchandise before an employee saw one of them conceal merchandise and try to leave. The employee confronted the man, who began to yell at her and push her, police said.

“A brief struggle ensued, and the suspect struck the employee before grabbing additional merchandise and fleeing the scene on foot with the two other suspects,” ACPD said.

Officers who responded to the business around 7:41 p.m. searched the surrounding area and located the stolen merchandise on a Metro platform.

Parked, unlocked car with key left inside stolen near Rosslyn Metro station

By ARLnow.com
Restaurants on the 1800 block of N. Moore Street (via Google Maps)

An opportunistic thief stole a car that was left parked and unlocked, with the key in the ignition, near the Rosslyn Metro station last night, police say.

It happened around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, on the 1800 block of N. Moore Street. The crime was initially reported as a carjacking, and a description of the vehicle was broadcast to other local police departments, but officers later determined that the car was simply driven off and not taken forcibly.

The driver of the car was reportedly inside a restaurant — the block includes a McDonald’s, Bethesda Bagels, Nando’s Peri-Peri, and Happy Eatery (recently renamed after formerly being called Happy Endings Eatery) — when the theft occurred.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2021-12010223, 1800 block of N. Moore Street. At approximately 9:43 p.m. on December 1, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. The investigation determined that at approximately 9:40 p.m., the victim parked his vehicle and left it unlocked with the key in the ignition and entered a restaurant. While inside, a witness observed the suspect enter the vehicle and drive away. The vehicle is described as a 2003 Silver Toyota Matrix XR with Maryland license plate 1DB6405. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

Photo via Google Maps. Hat tip to Alan Henney.

ACPD: Man suspected in thefts from two cars leads officers on foot chase near Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

A Connecticut man has been jailed after police say he stole items from two cars and then tried to run from officers.

The arrest happened early Monday morning in the Columbia Forest neighborhood, near Columbia Pike.

Officers initially responded after a man said his car was moved and a man was rummaging through it. The man brandished the gun as the car’s owner approached, according to police.

The suspect allegedly led arriving officers on a brief foot chase before being taken into custody.

More from an ACPD crime report:

WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2021-11290031, S. Frederick Street at 10th Street S. At approximately 3:19 a.m. on November 29, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim had left his parked vehicle running and upon returning, discovered it had been stolen. The victim canvased the area of S. Frederick Street and 10th Street S. and located his vehicle parked and the male suspect rummaging through it. As the victim approached the vehicle, the suspect turned and allegedly brandished a handgun before fleeing the scene on foot. Arriving officers canvased the area and observed the suspect walking in the 900 block of S. Columbus Street. As officers attempted to speak with the suspect, he ran and a brief foot pursuit was initiated before he was taken into custody without incident. During the course of the investigation, a handgun, items belonging to the victim and items from a separate larceny from auto in the 5000 block of 10th Street S. were recovered. [The suspect], 21, of Norwich, Ct., was arrested and charged with Grand Larceny Auto, Brandishing a Firearm, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Larceny from Auto (x2), Vehicle Trespassing (x2). He was held on no bond.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Grand Opening for Big Rosslyn Development — “Real estate developer Penzance welcomed Arlington County officials to the grand opening of The Highlands, a mixed-use project in Rosslyn at the top of the hill on Wilson Boulevard. The Highlands, a 1.2-million-square-foot development, consists of three high-rise residences — named Pierce, Aubrey and Evo — with views of the D.C. area and several amenities. ‘We’re proud to be here today welcoming these 890 new residences, exciting retailers, Fire Station 10 and the beautiful Rosslyn Highlands Park.'” [Patch]

Reward Boosted in Ballston Murder Case — “The Ratigan family is announcing an increase in their reward fund from $25,000 to $50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for Scott Ratigan’s homicide on January 17, 2020. Detectives continue to follow-up on any and all investigative leads in this case and remind the public that any information, regardless of how small it may seem, could be the tip that leads to justice on behalf of Scott and the Ratigan family.” [ACPD]

Retired Police K-9 Dies — “With great sadness, ACPD announces the passing of retired K9 Drago, a 14 year-old old German Shepard, Belgian Malinois mix. He loyally served Arlington from 2008 to 2019 as a patrol and narcotics detection K9. We kindly ask that you keep him and his handler in your thoughts.” [Twitter]

APS Getting Ready for Kid Vax Approval — “APS continues to work with the County on plans for rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine to students ages 5-11 once it is approved, which we anticipate very soon. Once approved, we will inform the community about the availability of doses and how to schedule appointments. Arlington County Public Health anticipates holding clinics and scheduling vaccinations by appointment, hopefully by mid-November. We will keep families informed as new information is received.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Man Seen Stealing GOP Signs — “We’ve received reports of stolen yard signs, and — while we appreciate your updates — almost none of those are actionable because the tipsters don’t provide us any physical/visual evidence. But kudos to one resourceful sleuth, who provided us with these fairly clear photos of a guy taking down Youngkin signs in Arlington last night.” [Arlington GOP, Twitter]

In Defense of Audrey’s Age Answer — “Apparently what happened is that the paper wanted candidates to fill out online questionnaires, and the computerized program didn’t allow respondents to skip the ‘age’ question. So Clement wrote in a younger figure as something of a protest in requiring candidates to answer a question she feels is inappropriate. From this, the Post tried to make a big deal. Turns out the Posties, as is often the case, missed the context. Clement wasn’t lying to them, as they contend. She was f*cking with them. A big difference.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Artist Performs on NPR — From National Public Radio: “The Tiny Desk is back… sort of. The first concert recorded at Bob Boilen’s desk since March 2020 is 2021 Tiny Desk Contest winner Neffy!” [Twitter]

It’s Thursday — Today will be partly sunny, with a high near 65, getting progressively cloudier throughout the day. Sunrise at 7:31 a.m. and sunset at 6:11 p.m. Tomorrow (Friday) will be rainy and windy, with storms and flooding possible. Expect a high near 63.

One Arrested After Alleged Theft Ends With Fracas in Pentagon City Metro Station

By ARLnow.com

A D.C. man was arrested after allegedly stealing from a vehicle and fighting the victim in a Metro station.

The wild incident happened Tuesday morning in the Pentagon City area.

It started, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report, when a driver who had parked in a garage near the shopping center formerly known as Pentagon Row was alerted to someone breaking into their car.

The suspect tried to walk away after stealing cash and personal items but was followed by the victim into the Pentagon City Metro station, according to police.

They started fighting on the station platform, leading Metro Transit Police to call Arlington County police for assistance, according to a police dispatch at the time. The combative suspect was finally taken into custody after transit police used pepper spray to subdue him, according to the crime report.

The fracas prompted a sizable police response outside the station, even leading to some bus delays.

More from ACPD:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Significant), 2021-10120080, 1300 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 11:35 a.m. on October 12, police were dispatched to the Pentagon City Metro Station to assist Metro Transit Police with an active fight. Upon arrival, officers met with Metro Transit Police who had deployed OC Spray and detained the two individuals involved in the altercation. The investigation determined that the victim had parked his vehicle in the garage in the 1300 block of S. Joyce Street, and was later alerted by a witness that the male suspect was allegedly walking away from the vehicle and the alarm was activated. The victim went to investigate and observed that the suspect had forced entry to the vehicle and stole an undisclosed amount of cash and personal items. The victim located the suspect in the area carrying his personal items and followed him onto the metro platform, where they were ultimately located by Metro Transit Police. The suspect was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries sustained during the incident. Tyrell Washington, 26, of Washington D.C., was arrested and charged with Larceny from Auto. Additional warrants were obtained for the suspect by Metro Transit Police.

Also in the latest crime report, police are investigating a half dozen vehicle tamperings, including the theft of electronics and catalytic converters, that were discovered along Columbia Pike and in the Lyon Park area Tuesday morning.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2021-10120034/10120058/10120067, 2200 block of Columbia Pike/1200 block of S. Scott Street/100 block of N. Wayne Street. At approximately 6:02 a.m. on October 12, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim returned to his parked vehicle and observed that the passenger window had been smashed and electronics and personal items had been stolen from inside. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that unknown suspect(s) forced entry into three additional vehicles and rummaged through them. A short time later, two victim vehicles were found to have been tampered with and had the catalytic converters removed. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

Thorny Theft from Bon Air Prompts Vandalism Vigilance

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Arlington officials are asking residents to keep an eye on the Bon Air Rose Garden in Bluemont after a brazen bush burglary.

“Last Thursday, about a dozen rose bushes were removed from Bon Air Rose Garden,” Susan Kalish, the Public Relations Director for the Dept. of Parks and Recreation, told neighborhood leaders in an email yesterday. “It’s sad enough when someone cuts a bloom or two, but this act of vandalism is very disheartening.”

“As you know, Bon Air Memorial Rose Garden is a cherished Arlington institution with more than 120 rose varieties,” Kalish added. “Can you help us by asking everyone to report suspicious activity to the Arlington County Police Department non-emergency number 703-558-2222 or call us at 703-228-6525. This sort of vandalism should not be tolerated in Arlington.”

One civically-involved Arlingtonian who forwarded the email, which was then forwarded to ARLnow, called the caper “more criminal craziness.”

“Probably a good idea to keep an eye out for plants in other Arlington parks,” she wrote. “These looters may not yet be done.”

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