A local high school student is hoping police can catch a man he says stole his bike in Pentagon City.
The alleged theft, on May 8 near Amazon’s HQ2, was caught on a surveillance camera and shared with ARLnow. The victim is a senior at Washington-Liberty High School.
“That bike was really important to me,” the student said. “We filed a police report as the suspect was caught on video camera in the act. Face visible. As of now we have had no help from the police in identifying the suspect and taking any next steps.”
The video, below, shows a man walk up to the bike, look around, fidget with the lock for a bit, and then walk off with the bike.
Arlington County police confirmed receiving a report about a bike theft in the area. Such thefts are now reported online.
“On May 8, Arlington County Police Department received an online report for a larceny in the 1300 block of S. Eads Street,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The report indicates at approximately 4:30 p.m., the victim locked their electric bicycle to a bike rack and later returned to find it was stolen. Video surveillance was submitted. No arrests have been made.”
While bike thefts are fairly common in Arlington — and on the rise this year — arrests are less common.
According to Savage, 104 bikes were reported stolen in 2023, leading to five such thefts being closed with an arrest made. So far this year, 87 thefts have been reported but only one arrest made.
“Many bicycle thefts are misdemeanor property crimes with limited or no solvability factors,” Savage said. “Solvability factors, including if there are any witnesses, availability of evidence, being able to properly identify the stolen property and possible suspect information, can impact the ability to successfully resolve a case.”
Arlington County saw a rise in crime last year, while the police department is facing a continued officer shortage. The officer recruitment challenges led to the greater reliance on online crime reporting.
Savage and ACPD offered the following bicycle theft prevention tips for residents.
- Keep a record of your bicycle serial number, which you can usually find on the frame between the pedals.
- If your bicycle doesn’t have a serial number, mark your bicycle where your serial number would normally be by engraving your initials or a four-digit number of your choice.
- Lock your bicycle using a strong, secure lock. A properly secured U-lock, rather than chains and cables, is preferable.
- Secure the bicycle to a bike rack or any other immovable object.
- Secure both wheels of your bicycle.
- Register your Bicycle with the Arlington County Police Department | en Español
- If your bicycle has been stolen, file an Online Police Incident Report or call the Alternate Reporting Unit at 703-228-4300 and provide the following information about your bicycle:
- Serial number
- Proof of ownership (depending on the bicycle’s age, this may not be available)
- Make
- Model
- Color
- Any identifying marks
