Eight shoplifting suspects were arrested in a Pentagon City operation as new police data shows Arlington retail crime is on the rise.
In a May 30 retail theft detail, the Arlington County Police Department arrested seven people on petit larceny charges and one person on a grand larceny charge. The arrests resulted in the recovery of more than $6,000 in stolen merchandise, police said in a press release.
“The detail was a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the business community to identify and apprehend individuals suspected of theft,” ACPD said.
Police also highlighted several other major retail theft arrests in recent months — including that of a 67-year-old D.C. man who faces 20 counts of grand larceny with intent to sell, six counts of grand larceny, three counts of petit larceny and one count of organized retail crime.
Highlight of Significant Retail Theft Incidents
- [Suspect 1], 67, of Washington, DC was arrested in the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street on January 14, 2025, following an extensive investigation into a series of thefts from businesses in Pentagon City which occurred between May 2024 and January 2025. As a result of the investigation, he was charged with Grand Larceny with Intent to Sell (x20), Grand Larceny (x6), Petit Larceny (x3) and Organized Retail Crime. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
- [Suspect 2], 27, of Washington, DC was arrested in the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street on March 22, 2025, following an investigation into a series of thefts from businesses in Pentagon City which occurred between January and March 2025. As a result of the investigation, he was charged with Grand Larceny with Intent to Sell (x3), Grand Larceny (x4), Robbery, Petit Larceny (x7) and Obstruction of Justice (x3). He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
- [Suspect 3], 26, of Washington, DC was arrested outside the Arlington County Courthouse on March 25, 2025, following an investigation into a series of thefts from businesses in Pentagon City. As a result of the investigation, he was charged with Petit Larceny (x4), Grand Larceny (x4), Grand Larceny with Intent to Sell (x4), Forgery, Identity Theft and Trespassing (x8).
- [Suspect 4], 41, of Gwynn Oak, MD was arrested on May 15, 2025, on outstanding warrants obtained following a burglary investigation at a business in Pentagon City. The subsequent investigation determined the suspect committed theft offenses in Pentagon City between September 2024 – May 2025. As a result of the investigation, he was arrested and charged with Burglary, Possession of Burglarious Tools, Unlawful Entry, Shoplifting, Petit Larceny and Trespassing (x3). The suspect has been linked to incidents throughout the region and the investigation into additional incidents is ongoing.
An apparent jump in larcenies and thefts helped drive a roughly 12% increase in Arlington property crimes in 2024. Shoplifting cases in particular shot up by around 76%, from 1,060 in 2023 to 1,863 in 2024, according to an annual crime report released last week.
Police noted that multiple factors probably played a role.
“This increase likely reflects both an increase in offenses as well as better reporting by affected businesses through the online reporting system,” the crime report said.
Police have produced a flyer with tips for businesses and offer business owners the following general guidance.
- Greet customers as they enter your business to highlight to potential shoplifters that that you and your staff are actively engaged.
- Ensure you can see everything that goes on in your store.
- Keep counters low and mount mirrors in corners so there are no blind spots.
- Place high-end items away from exits.
- Alert employees are your best defense. Report in-progress incidents to the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222. Late reports of incidents that are not currently in-progress can be reported online.
ACPD said its officers are doing what they can to drive shoplifting incidents back down.
“To address the increased reports of retail theft, officers continue to perform high-visibility enforcement patrols in commercial areas while conducting comprehensive investigations into reported incidents to identify and apprehend shoplifters,” the police department said.
