Arlington County police responded to a break-in at Nova Armory early this morning.
The Metro-accessible gun store at 2607 Wilson Blvd had its front door “smashed in” by a suspect, setting off a loud alarm. The suspect reportedly took items but not any guns — the retailer takes weapons off shelves and stores them securely at night.
“At approximately 1:48 a.m. on August 22, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary just occurred,” said today’s ACPD crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect forced entry into the business by smashing a glass door. The suspect then rummaged through the interior of the store before fleeing the scene with stolen items.”
“No firearms were reported stolen,” an Arlington police spokesperson told ARLnow.
Officers searched the area for the suspect but could not locate him. Police were called to the store later today to retrieve video surveillance footage.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation and our detectives are reviewing all the information available to them to identify the suspect in this case,” said the ACPD spokesperson. “We encourage anyone who may have information regarding the incident to contact police.”
Nova Armory was previously burglarized at its former Lyon Park location. In 2022, after moving to Clarendon earlier in the year, a Nova Armory employee chased down an alleged thief who tried to run off with a gun. In March of this year a ski mask-wearing man robbed the store of a gun and ammunition but was arrested on a bus soon thereafter, according to police.
@ARLnowDOTcom robbery in nova armory in Arlington again for the third time 🥶 pic.twitter.com/wR5R9cjsoA
— Guilver (@KeepITahando) August 22, 2023
A 34-year-old D.C. man was arrested last month in a high-profile Arlington sexual assault case.
Police say they suspect Geremy Bridgeforth is the man who broke into a woman’s apartment in Virginia Square on April 2 and sexually assaulted her. That attack was followed by a subsequent early-morning apartment break-in on April 12, in Courthouse, in which the victim was touched inappropriately.
Blurry surveillance photos of the suspect were released by police a few days later.
In an update in the case Thursday afternoon, Arlington County police announced additional charges against Bridgeforth, who according to court records was arrested on July 14.
Following a comprehensive criminal investigation, the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is announcing charges have been obtained in the April 2 incident in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood. Geremy Bridgeforth, 34, of Washington D.C. is charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder/Rape/Robbery and Object Sexual Penetration. During the course of the investigation, detectives determined that between April 1 and April 2, the suspect entered additional residences in the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive and stole property. He was charged with Burglary (x2), Credit Card Theft (x2), Credit Card Fraud (x2) and Petit Larceny related to those offenses. Additionally, Mr. Bridgeforth was charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder/Rape/Robbery and Aggravated Sexual Battery in the April 12 incident in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
Bridgeforth has a number of prior arrests and convictions in Arlington dating between 2015-2021, according to court records, for crimes including fare evasion, trespassing and indecent exposure. Most recently he served a net two months in jail on the 2021 indecent exposure charges, court records suggest.
Multiple residents told ARLnow at the time that the Courthouse break-ins followed the installation of new smart locks, which some claimed would leave apartment doors open even when an app said it was locked.
A would-be thief or thieves used the electronic opener inside a car they rummaged through to open a home’s garage door, according to police.
The incident happened early Tuesday morning on the 2500 block of Military Road, near Cherrydale.
More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report, below.
BURGLARY, 2023-06270025, 2500 block of Military Road. At approximately 2:28 a.m. on June 27, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect(s) gained entry into two of the victim’s vehicles, rummaged through the interiors and utilized a garage door opener to open the garage. No items were reported damaged or stolen from the garage or vehicles. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.
In June 2021, Arlington police warned that they were seeing a rise in home and vehicle thefts that occur overnight when suspects find garage door openers in unlocked cars. The department said at the time that it assigned additional officers to north Arlington neighborhoods, where the crimes were taking place, adding that they arrested a group of suspects on the first night of deployment.
A 41-year-old man is in jail after police say he used a brick in an early morning robbery attempt.
The incident happened around 2 a.m. in Crystal City. Police say the man stood in front of a car, demanded cash from those inside, then bashed the car with the brick “multiple times” before the victims were able to flee.
Police responded and took a suspect into custody.
From today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, 2023-05070025, 1600 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 2:02 a.m. on May 7, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were inside their vehicle attempting to leave the area when the male suspect allegedly approached, stood in front of the vehicle while holding a brick, and demanded money. The suspect struck the vehicle multiple times with the brick before the victims were able to leave the area. No injuries were reported. Responding officers canvassed the area, located the suspect, and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 41, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Destruction of Property, Attempted Robbery, and Abduction. He was held without bond.
Also in today’s crime report: another incident of teens running after an alleged vehicle-related crime.
This incident happened around 9:30 p.m. in Pentagon City, and involved five juvenile male suspects fleeing on foot before all being apprehended, according to ACPD.
ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO (Significant), 2023-05060271, 1400 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 9:24 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, an officer observed approximately five juvenile suspects allegedly tampering with two vehicles, one of which had a smashed rear window. The officer attempted to make contact with the suspects, during which they fled the scene on foot. Officers initiated foot pursuits, located the five juvenile male suspects and took them into custody. Two suspects sustained minor injuries and were treated by medics. Petitions are pending for the juvenile suspects.
Additionally, there were two separate incidents of alleged gun brandishings, both along Columbia Pike over the weekend. One involved an implied gun and the other a BB gun, according to police.
BRANDISHING, 2023-05060148, 900 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 12:29 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect approached the two victims, allegedly physically assaulted Victim One and made threatening statements implying he had a firearm before leaving the scene. The victim reported minor injuries and did not require medical attention on scene. During the course of the investigation, the suspect returned to the area and was taken into custody without incident. [The suspect], 25, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Assault and Battery. He was held without bond.
BRANDISHING, 2023-05070094, 4800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 12:13 p.m. on May 7, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined the suspect approached the known victim, told him to leave the area and when the victim refused, the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm. Officers recovered a BB gun on scene. No injuries were reported. [The suspect], 44, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Disorderly Conduct. He was held without bond.
(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) Someone broke into a woman’s apartment in Courthouse, went into her bedroom and touched her inappropriately, according to Arlington County police.
The incident happened in the early morning hours of Wednesday, police said. A resident tells ARLnow that it happened at the Courthouse Plaza Apartments, at 2250 Clarendon Blvd.
“Police swept every apartment guns drawn around 6 a.m., looking for someone,” the resident told us yesterday evening. “People woke up with their doors wide open. Break in happened around two weeks after management installed ‘smart locks’ on everyone’s door. You control them with a sketchy app. Whole thing is fishy.”
Spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow that no other break-ins were reported Wednesday, but a number of opened or unlocked doors were found that morning and a previous break-in was reported to police
“During the search of the building, officers located unsecured units, made contact with individuals inside and a late unlawful entry was reported,” Savage said. “No other incidents were reported.”
Police say they’re investigating whether Wednesday’s sexual battery is linked to a break-in and sexual assault at a Virginia Square apartment building ten days prior.
More from an ACPD press release:
The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is investigating a residential burglary with sexual battery which occurred in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood.
At approximately 4:47 a.m. on April 12, police were dispatched to the 2200 block of Clarendon Boulevard for the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect gained entry into the female victim’s residence, entered her bedroom and touched her inappropriately. The victim screamed and the suspect fled from the residence on foot. The suspect is described as a Black male with an average build and approximately 5’8” – 5’10” tall.
Detectives are investigating the incident as possibly linked to an incident which occurred on April 2 in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective C. Oesterling (703-228-4241 or [email protected]). Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
The reported previous break-in happened last month.
“On April 12, police received a late report of a breaking and entering,” ACPD said about the earlier incident. “The investigation determined that in the early morning hours of March 25, the suspect opened the door to the victim’s residence and fled the scene on foot after the victim yelled out to the suspect. No items were reported stolen or damaged. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.”
A man broke into a woman’s apartment in Virginia Square early this morning and sexually assaulted her.
That’s according to a press release just issued by the Arlington County Police Department.
The break-in happened on the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive, which corresponds with the address of the Quincy Plaza apartment tower. After sexually assaulting the resident, the man fled on foot.
The suspect remains at large and police are asking for the public’s help in identifying him. The press release, however, only included a vague description of the man and no surveillance image.
From ACPD:
The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a residential burglary with sexual assault which occurred in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood.
At approximately 4:15 a.m. on April 2, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted rape in the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect gained entry into the female victim’s residence, entered her bedroom and sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene on foot. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately in his mid-20’s, wearing dark clothing.
This remains an active investigation. Anyone with information regarding the identity of this individual, details surrounding the incident, and/or home surveillance that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Detective J. McGrath (703-228-4244 or [email protected]) or Detective C. Oesterling (703-228-4241 or [email protected]) of the Special Victims Unit. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Arlington County police are investigating an early morning carjacking that happened near Ballston over the weekend.
Police say three male suspects, at least one of whom was armed with a gun, approached a male victim who was parked on the 4100 block of N. Henderson Road. That’s just south of Ballston, in the Buckingham neighborhood.
“At approximately 3:15 a.m. on March 12, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery,” said today’s ACPD crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was in his parked vehicle when three unknown male suspects approached his car, brandished a firearm and demanded the keys to the vehicle. The suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle.”
“No injuries were reported,” the crime report continued. “The victim’s vehicle is described as a white Chrysler with Virginia license plate VTH1366. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results.”
The last reported carjacking in Arlington happened three days earlier, in Pentagon City. This is at least the ninth carjacking in Arlington so far this year. A total of 14 were reported in all of 2022, according to ACPD stats.
Also in this week’s crime report, four vehicles were broken into last week in the Pentagon City area, in a mini airbag theft spree.
More from ACPD:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series) (Late), 2023-03100073/03100074, 1400 block of S. Joyce Street/1100 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 7:28 a.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the late report of multiple larcenies from auto. The investigation determined between approximately 9:30 p.m. on March 9 and 7:30 a.m. on March 10, the unknown suspect(s) shattered the driver’s side window to four vehicles, stealing airbags from three of them. Tires were stolen from two additional vehicles. The vehicles are described as Honda and Toyota models.
A local man is accused of drunkenly breaking into Washington-Liberty High School early this morning, damaging a door.
Nothing was reported stolen and the motivation for the alleged break-in is unclear.
More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:
UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2023-02100054, 1300 block of N. Stafford Street. At approximately 4:15 a.m. on February 10, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary alarm. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers located the suspect in the area and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined the male suspect allegedly forced entry into the school, causing damage to one of the door’s glass windows. No items were reported stolen and no other items were reported damaged. [The suspect], 30, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Trespass: School/Church Property, Destruction of Property, and issued a summons for Drunk in Public. He was held on a secured bond.
Also this morning, police responded to a stabbing along Columbia Pike, near The Wellington apartment complex.
Initial reports suggest that a man was stabbed, possibly in the back, but is expected to recover from his wound. The stabbing stemmed from a dispute between two men.
The incident happened around 9 a.m. and, after some initial confusion about the location, police found the men near the intersection of 12th Street S. and S. Scott Street, according to scanner traffic.
“The preliminary investigation indicates the two males were involved in a dispute which escalated into a physical altercation, during which one suffered an apparent stab wound,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Both individuals were treated on scene for injuries considered non-life threatening. Police remain on scene investigation the incident.”
Arlington County police responded to a number of notable incidents over the past few days, including a serious stabbing in Rosslyn.
The alleged stabbing took place in the River Place complex around 1 a.m. Friday.
From yesterday’s ACPD crime report:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-12020042, 1100 block of Arlington Boulevard. At approximately 1:10 a.m. on December 2, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with a weapon. Upon arrival, officers located the male suspect in his apartment and detained him. The male victim was subsequently located in a separate apartment suffering serious, non-life threatening injuries. He was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. The investigation revealed the known suspect came to the victim’s apartment and a verbal dispute ensued over a missing cell phone. The suspect then entered the victim’s residence and allegedly stole the victim’s electronics. The victim then went to the suspect’s apartment to help locate the missing cell phone. While inside the apartment, the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim with a knife, causing lacerations. The victim was subsequently able to exit the apartment and yell for help. [The suspect], 48, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding, Abduction and Grand Larceny.
Over the weekend, a group of 3-4 suspects rummaged through cars in several locations in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood, near Pentagon City.
They ended up successfully fleeing from arriving officers in cars stolen from Fairfax County and from Arlington’s Lyon Park neighborhood, according to the crime report.
“The investigation is ongoing,” said ACPD.
VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series), 2022-12040058/12040064/12040068/12040078, 2600 block of S. Lynn Street, 1000 block of 21st Street S., 1000 block of 16th Street, 900 block of N. Cleveland Street. At approximately 6:41 a.m. on December 4, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the witness allegedly observed three unknown male suspects attempting to open the doors of parked, unoccupied vehicles. The witness yelled at the suspects and they fled the scene in a dark colored sedan. In total, approximately seven vehicles were determined to have been entered and nothing of value was reported stolen at the time of the report. At approximately 7:10 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering in the 1000 block of 16th Street S. While enroute, responding officers observed two vehicles flee the scene at a high rate of speed. The vehicles were later determined to have been stolen out of Fairfax County and one stolen out of the 900 block of N. Cleveland Street described as a black Honda Civic with Virginia License Plate: UBV8712. Five additional vehicles were determined to have been entered and rummaged through.
In today’s crime report, five teens — one adult and four juveniles — are expected to face charges after allegedly breaking into a home in Lyon Park, just south of Clarendon.
The incident happened late Monday morning. Residents of the home were away at the time but saw the break-in happening on a video surveillance system, according to scanner traffic.
More from ACPD:
UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2022-12050077, 700 block of N. Edgewood Street. At approximately 11:37 a.m. on December 5, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, officers established a perimeter and took an adult male suspect into custody as he exited the home. Officers then observed additional suspects inside the home, gave them commands to exit and took four juveniles into custody. [A suspect], 18, of Alexandria, Va. was arrested and charged with Unlawful Entry and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. He was held on a $1,000 bond. Petitions were sought for the four juvenile suspects for Unlawful Entry.
Just days after the last reported series of airbag thefts in Arlington, police are investigating another.
Arlington County police say a thief or thieves smashed windows on and stole airbags from three Honda vehicles on the 900 block of S. Rolfe Street, near Towers Park.
Dozens of similar thefts — mostly involving Hondas and Acuras — have been reported so far this year, including a series of four less than a week ago.
From ACPD:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Late, Series), 2022-09050059, 900 block of S. Rolfe Street. At approximately 6:41 a.m. on September 5, police were dispatched to the report of a late larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 11:30 p.m. on September 4 and 6:41 a.m. on September 5 the unknown suspect(s) smashed the driver’s side windows of three vehicles and stole the airbags. All vehicles involved are Honda models. There is no suspect description at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
Also in the latest ACPD crime report, police say a man pulled out and loaded a gun inside a business along Columbia Pike — and then walked away without making any threats or demands.
The odd situation played out Friday night on the 2900 block of the Pike, which is home to a Domino’s Pizza and a CVS, among other businesses. Arlington police typically do not reveal the identities of people or entities that have been the victims of crimes.
More via ACPD:
BRANDISHING, 2022-09020220, 2600 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 8:49 p.m. on September 2, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 8:43 p.m., the unknown male suspect entered into the business, approached the counter, removed a firearm and magazine from his waistband and loaded it before fleeing the scene on foot. The suspect did not make any demands or threats. No injuries were reported and no items were reported stolen or damaged. Responding officers canvassed the area yielding negative results.
A 54-year-old Alexandria man is in jail after police say he broke into and stole items from two cars and tampered with five others.
The arrest happened last night around midnight, in a pair of neighborhoods along Columbia Pike.
The man was caught, police say, after an alert off-duty officer spotted him trying to break in to several parked cars, then detained him until on-duty units arrived.
From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:
VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series), 2022-08250293/08260015, 2500 block of 9th Road S./1100 block of S. Walter Reed Drive. At approximately 11:56 p.m. on August 25, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. The investigation determined that an off-duty police officer observed the suspect attempting to enter into parked vehicles in the area before making contact with him and detaining him until the arrival of additional units. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect allegedly entered into and tampered with seven victim vehicles and stole personal items from two of the vehicles. During a search of his person incident to arrest, drug paraphernalia was recovered. [The suspect], 54, of Alexandria, Va., was arrested and charged with Vehicle Tampering (x4), Petit Larceny from a Vehicle (x2), Grand Larceny from a Vehicle, Credit Card Theft, and Possession of Controlled Paraphernalia. He was held without bail.
