A D.C. man has been arrested in connection to a string of recent burglaries at Arlington businesses — including two break-ins at a popular Langston Blvd hardware store.
More than a dozen charges have been levied against Jimmie Lamont Williams, including four counts of burglary and five counts of destruction of property, the Arlington County Police Department announced Tuesday.
The 36-year-old targeted four businesses on the morning of Jan. 23, police said. He is accused of targeting two Columbia Pike businesses around 3:30 a.m., throwing a trash can at one storefront window and breaking a glass door at another business in order to steal merchandise.
Later that morning, but still before dawn, authorities say he headed north — where, according to scanner chatter and a tipster, break-ins took place at Bill’s Ace Hardware (2213 N. Buchanan Street) and National Tire & Battery (4801 Langston Blvd).
From ACPD:
- At approximately 3:29 a.m. on January 23, police were dispatched to the 5500 block of Columbia Pike for the report of an activated burglary alarm. The investigation determined the suspect threw a trash can into the store front window, but it did not break and he did not make entry.
- At approximately 3:33 a.m. on January 23, police were dispatched to the 5000 block of Columbia Pike for an activated burglary alarm. The investigation determined the suspect forced entry into a business by breaking the front glass door, rummaged through the interior, stole merchandise and fled the scene.
- At approximately 6:03 a.m. on January 23, police were dispatched to the 4800 block of Langston Boulevard for the report of a breaking and entering. It was determined at approximately 2:30 a.m., the suspect forced entry into a business by breaking the front glass door. He stole merchandise and fled the scene.
- At approximately 6:28 a.m. on January 23, while investigating the above-mentioned incident, officers canvassed the area and determined the suspect forced entry into a business in the 2200 block of N. Buchanan Street by breaking the front glass door. He stole merchandise and fled the scene.
Williams allegedly struck again on Feb. 4, burglarizing Bill’s Ace Hardware for the second time in two weeks.
- At approximately 7:11 a.m. on February 4, police were dispatched to the 2200 block of N. Buchanan Street for the late report of a burglary. The investigation determined at approximately 1:22 a.m., the suspect forced entry into a business by breaking the front glass door. He stole merchandise and fled the scene.
Detectives ultimately “recovered evidence linking the five cases together,” leading to Williams’ arrest in Fairfax County. He faces additional burglary charges in that jurisdiction.
Williams will next appear in court on April 28 for a preliminary hearing. There, a judge will determine if there is enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury, which would consider whether to indict Williams on felony charges.
