Two teens are facing charges after a series of burglaries in the Virginia Square area led to a police chase and Taser deployment.
The incident started shortly before 1:30 a.m. this morning after police responded to a burglary in progress at the Arlington Tobacco store on the 3400 block of Washington Blvd. Arriving officers searched the area but could not locate the suspects, according to scanner traffic.
Then, just before 2:30 a.m., an officer found broken glass at the Tobacco Hut store on the 3500 block of Wilson Blvd. Shortly after that, the officer reported that she was chasing the suspects on foot near the adjacent Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington.
One of the suspects was tased and the other was later spotted and arrested a few blocks away, near the Virginia Square Metro station.
Arlington County police say both suspects are juveniles and were released back to the custody of their parents while a variety of charges are pending for the smoke shop burglaries.
More, below, from an ACPD crime report.
BURGLARY, 2024-08080008/2024-08080014, 3400 block of Washington Boulevard/3500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 2:26 a.m. on August 8, an officer working patrol observed a closed business in the 3500 block of Wilson Boulevard with a shattered glass door and two suspects inside. The officer approached the business and issued commands to the suspects during which they both fled the scene on foot. The officer initiated a foot pursuit of Suspect One who refused to stop and continued to run towards a second officer. The second officer gave Suspect One commands which he did not comply with. The officer then deployed their taser and Suspect One was taken into custody. A lookout was broadcast for the outstanding suspect and officers located him in the area of Fairfax Drive at N. Nelson Street and took Suspect Two into custody. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspects had forced entry into a closed business in the 3400 block of Washington Boulevard at approximately 1:13 a.m. and stole merchandise. Both suspects were determined to be juveniles and petitions are pending for both incidents for charges including Burglary, Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Possession of Burglarious Tools. Both suspects were released to the custody of their parents. The investigation is ongoing.
