A man accused of going on a days-long assault, vehicle theft and property destruction spree that extended into Arlington is in custody.
City of Falls Church Police said the man, who is uncooperative and has not revealed his name, was arrested Sunday after leaving a multi-jurisdictional trail of injury and destruction in his wake.
The incidents started around lunchtime Friday, when the suspect made a U-turn on the 1200 block of W. Broad Street, near the Beyer Volvo dealership. Driving a Jeep that had earlier been carjacked in Fairfax County, the suspect struck a pedestrian and crashed into several cars, according to police and a surveillance video aired by NBC 4.
The suspect then allegedly ran to a nearby shopping center, where he attacked a man and stole his car.
“Witnesses say the suspect ran into a parking lot, hit an older man over the head and stole his vehicle,” NBC 4 reported.
The suspect subsequently drove into Arlington, according to police, and rear-ended another driver along Langston Blvd.
“At approximately 1:19 p.m. on March 17, police were dispatched to Langston Boulevard at Spout Run Parkway for the report of a hit and run,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was traveling eastbound on Langston Boulevard and slowed to make a turn when she was struck from behind by the suspect vehicle. The driver of the suspect vehicle failed to stop and fled the scene following the crash. No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.”
Falls Church police say the stolen car was later found in Fairfax County. Two days later, the suspect went looking for another car to steal, just blocks from the first crash, police said.
“On Sunday, March 19, at about 3:45 p.m., police responded to the 1000 block of W. Broad St. for report of an assault and attempted carjacking,” Falls Church police said. “One victim was transported to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.”
Scanner traffic at the time suggested a “severe” assault.
CARJACKING (15:48hrs): IAO 1000 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA.
Suspect SEVERLY assaulted vehicle owner, arrested by @FallsChurchPD after foot pursuit. @FairfaxCountyPD K9 assisting.
Likely same suspect as Friday night incident.
h/t: @alanhenney @HCBright10 @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/meoHyZBg45— Matthew Young (@matthewyoung31) March 19, 2023
A witness told NBC 4 that the suspect walked up to a man loading his car, slammed him to the ground and tried to take his keys, but good Samaritans intervened and helped lead police to the suspect, who was taken into custody.
“Exact charges are pending, and the man’s name and photo will be released once available,” Falls Church police said.
The full police press release is below.
City of Falls Church Police announced that the individual arrested on Sunday is the same person wanted for a stolen vehicle, carjacking, and hit and run on Friday. Exact charges are pending, and the man’s name and photo will be released once available.
“I want to thank our officers and dispatch who persevered through the numerous incidents,” said Police Chief Mary Gavin. “And a big thank you to the community members who stopped to help the victims and called in tips. The ‘See Something, Say Something’ mantra helped us immensely with this arrest.”
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.
Arlington police are investigating a carjacking that happened last night near the Riverhouse apartment complex in Pentagon City.
The suspects were armed and reportedly stole a BMW.
This is at least the eighth reported carjacking in Arlington this year and the fourth involving a BMW in the Pentagon City and Crystal City area.
More from an ACPD crime report:
CARJACKING, 2023-03090228, 1100 block of Army Navy Drive. At approximately 10:34 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were exiting their parked car when three to four unknown suspects approached, brandished firearms and demanded the keys to the vehicle and a cell phone. The suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle and were followed by a suspect driving a dark-colored sedan. The victims’ vehicle was later located unoccupied in Washington D.C.
22:35hrs. ARMED CARJACKING. 2 SUBJECTS WITH HANDGUN STOLE WHITE BWM. Unknown direction of travel.
1111 Army Navy Dr, Arlington.@VSPPIO @ArlingtonVaPD posted up on 14th Bridge.
h/t: @alanhenney
cc: @ARLnowDOTcom #VATraffic pic.twitter.com/ko8860uEXd— Matthew Young (@matthewyoung31) March 10, 2023
Arlington County police are investigating a carjacking that happened Saturday night near the Courthouse neighborhood.
Police were dispatched to the 2000 block of N. Adams Street, just north of Langston Blvd, around 9:40 p.m.
“Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were exiting their parked car when two unknown male suspects approached, brandished a firearm and stole the keys to the vehicle and two cell phones,” ACPD said today (Monday) in a crime report. “The suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle and were followed by a suspect driving a dark colored sedan.”
Both vehicles were later found unoccupied, police said.
“The victims’ vehicle was later located unoccupied in Washington D.C. and the suspects’ vehicle, which was determined to have been stolen, was located unoccupied on the George Washington Parkway,” the crime report said. “The investigation is ongoing.”
This was at least the seventh carjacking in Arlington so far this year. That’s half of the 14 in total reported throughout 2022. A carjacking earlier this month resulted in a chase and arrests.
UPDATE 2: Apparently as a precaution, @ArlingtonVaFD, followed by @ArlingtonVaPD, took one of the armed carjacking victims to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/tnmFyjxcjP
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 26, 2023
(Updated at 4 p.m.) A pair of suspects carjacked a vehicle in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood last night, leading to a police chase into D.C.
The carjacking happened around 8:30 p.m. Saturday on the 2800 block of Fort Scott Drive, not far from Crystal City.
According to initial reports, the stolen vehicle was quickly located by Arlington County officers on northbound I-395 and a chase was initiated. While for safety and jurisdictional reasons other chases are often terminated at the 14th Street Bridge, this time a chase into the District was authorized.
The suspect vehicle crashed near the Jefferson Memorial and the Tidal Basin shortly after entering D.C., according to scanner traffic, and both suspects were taken into custody after brief foot pursuits.
One of the carjacking victims was evaluated by medics for a possible injury.
(2) Arrests were made after a short foot chase. Some @ArlingtonVaPD officers got on I-395 moments after the the carjacking on Ft. Scott Dr was dispatched at 8:27 p.m. In less than 4 mins. they spotted the SUV. The officers were given permission by a supervisor to chase into DC.
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 12, 2023
Late Sunday afternoon Arlington police issued the following press release about the arrests.
The Arlington County Police Department is announcing the arrest of two juveniles following an armed carjacking in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood on the evening of February 11, 2023.
At approximately 8:26 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of an armed carjacking in the 2800 block of Fort Scott Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was sitting inside a parked vehicle when the two juvenile suspects approached, brandished firearms, and demanded the victim exit the vehicle. The two suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. A lookout was broadcast and an officer observed the suspects traveling northbound on I-395. The officer attempted a traffic stop and, after the driver refused to stop, initiated a vehicle pursuit. The suspects attempted to elude officers and subsequently crashed the vehicle in the area of 14th Street SW and D Street SW, Washington D.C. The suspects then ran from the vehicle and officers initiated a foot pursuit and took both suspects into custody. The two juvenile suspects were transported to an area hospital as a precautionary measure, however no injuries were reported. During a search of the stolen vehicle, officers recovered a firearm which had been reported stolen out of Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Petitions were obtained for the juveniles who are both 17-year-olds and of Washington D.C. They are being held in Washington D.C. pending extradition to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Fire and EMS provided on scene assistance.
This remains an active investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Hat tip to Alan Henney
Carjackings appear to be rising again in Arlington and across the D.C. area.
An uptick between 2019 and 2020 spurred Arlington County Police Department to focus prevention efforts on robbery, burglary and destruction of property incidents. Increased enforcement in 2021 resulted in fewer carjackings, after ACPD made two significant carjacking arrests, per ACPD’s 2021 annual report.
“The combination of the collaboration and the education and proactive work that ACPD did reduce the carjackings and then reduced the stealing of cars in general,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, who participated in a regional effort to crack down on carjackings during that time. “With that reduction, less collaboration was needed, but we are working together to make sure that we’re doing the same coordination as before with other jurisdictions.”
But now the crime — in which a person steals a victim’s car by force, threat or intimidation — seems to be ticking up again, with five carjackings in January 2023 compared to zero carjackings in January 2022 and 14 throughout the 2022 calendar year, according to stats provided by ACPD.
Meanwhile, across the river in D.C., one Arlingtonian was carjacked near Union Station and another resident’s Rolls Royce was stolen near Logan Circle, according to police reports.
Dehghani-Tafti said the social science data shows the certainty of being caught is the strongest deterrent from people committing crimes, but deterrence can be harder with carjacking.
“These can be hard crimes to solve because people get away so fast and cars change hands so quickly, they take a lot of collaboration and coordination and proactive action,” she said.
Law enforcement and the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney say they’re devoting more resources to combat these crimes.
ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage says the department “continues to deploy increased police resources, to include both visible and non-visible assets, in Crystal City and the surrounding neighborhoods to address this crime trend.”
“The Arlington County Police Department remains a member of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force which coordinates on offenses such as carjackings,” she said. “As part of our ongoing investigative efforts into these incidents, detectives are working collaboratively with our regional law enforcement partners to share information, identify trends, apprehend suspects and hold them accountable for their actions.”
Dehghani-Tafti, meanwhile, is meeting with a division of Virginia State Police on vehicle thefts, generally.
Two units in the VSP Fairfax Division are “partnering to take a more concentrated and analytical look at vehicle thefts within the Northern Virginia region,” state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. “This is not uncommon for state police to do, as we consistently look for ways to address any crime patterns that develop and identify ways to strategically address and resolve them.”
Fact patterns
Of the five reported carjackings last month in Arlington, four were in the Crystal City and Pentagon City areas — where many such incidents were concentrated during the last spree — and three involved BMWs.
“In recent cases, carjacking suspects have generally approached victims as they were inside their idling parked vehicles, brandished a firearm and demanded the victim’s keys and property,” per an Arlington police press release, sent in response to the uptick. “In some cases, the suspects approach the victim by pulling alongside them in a vehicle, which is later determined to be stolen. Reported incidents in Arlington have generally involved multiple suspects.”
While some are threatened with guns, other victims are attacked when they exit their cars.
On Jan. 27, a Columbia Pike resident was exiting his car near Union Station in D.C. to let out an Uber customer when he was attacked and the attacker drove away in his car. The victim and another driver idling behind him chased the alleged carjacker for nearly a mile. Stuck behind a dump truck, the suspect reversed the stolen car and hit the pursuing car. The duo apprehended the suspect but ultimately let go, citing fear for their safety and a growing crowd, according to a Metropolitan Police Department incident report.
The car was later returned to the owner.
Arlington police issued the following safety tips for residents in response to the recent spate of carjackings.
- When inside your vehicle, keep your doors locked and windows up
- Exit your vehicle and continue to your destination promptly after parking
- Be aware of your surroundings when entering and exiting your vehicle
- Limit your use of devices that may distract you, such as cell phones and headphones
- Don’t leave items unattended or visible in your vehicle
One woman’s story
Some two-and-a-half years ago, then-Alexandria resident Lauren Brown was similarly attacked while waiting to turn left onto S. Glebe Road near the Harris Teeter in Potomac Yard. She told ARLnow her experience as a cautionary tale.
A group of 18-year-olds in a stolen car hit Brown. After pleading with her not to call the police — with whom she was already on the phone — they drove away. They returned, and one occupant hit her while the other got in her car and they drove away.
“It’s a really crazy thing what adrenaline does to your body,” she said. “I didn’t feel [the injury] until a few days later.”
It has been an eventful couple of weeks for BMW drivers in the Crystal City and Pentagon City area.
Last night another BMW was taken during a carjacking, by suspects who themselves arrived in a BMW. This time it happened outside the 7-Eleven store at the corner of 23rd Street S. and S. Eads Street.
“At approximately 10:14 p.m. on January 30, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was attempting to reverse out of a parking space when Suspect One exited the suspect vehicle, approached the victim, brandished a firearm, threatened him and demanded his vehicle.”
“The victim exited his vehicle and Suspect One and Suspect Two entered,” the crime report continued. “The suspects then fled the scene in the victim’s stolen vehicle at a high rate of speed with the suspect vehicle, occupied by Suspect Three and Suspect Four, following.”
YET ANOTHER CRYSTAL CITY CARJACKING— 7-Eleven at 23rd St South and South Eads St in Arlington. Around 10:15 p.m., 4 guys arrived in a black BMW with Md temp tags, two got out with a handgun and carjacked a white 2-door BMW with Va tags. #CrystalCityVA @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/LuSx2kEqk9
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) January 31, 2023
At 10:16 pm @ArlingtonVaPD dispatched armed carjacking of white 2-door BMW at S.Eads & 23rd 7-11. Likely accomplices in black BMW all headed on Rt 1N. At 10:14 pm my cameras caught these 2 cars speeding up Rt 1 into I-395. Can't say they're the same, but timing & car colors fit. pic.twitter.com/3csnIyG8Mq
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) January 31, 2023
This was the fifth reported carjacking in Arlington in three weeks, the fourth in the Crystal City and Pentagon City areas, and the third involving BMWs.
On Jan. 15 an Audi was carjacked at 23rd Street S. and S. Fern Street, in Crystal City. On Jan. 25 a white BMW was carjacked near 23rd Street S. and Crystal Drive, in Crystal City. On Jan. 26 a BMW was carjacked in front of the Pentagon City mall after another BMW, carjacked in D.C., crashed and was abandoned nearby on Route 1.
The five vehicles carjacked in Arlington this month compares to zero carjacked last January and 14 total throughout 2022, according to stats provided by ACPD.
(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) Police are investigating a crash and carjacking that occurred just blocks apart and around the same time, in Pentagon City.
Arlington County police responded to a crash around 9:20 p.m. Thursday night on Route 1 at 12th Street S. The driver fled the scene prior to police arriving and “the investigation determined the involved vehicle had previously been reported stolen in a carjacking in Washington D.C.,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow.
Then, a short time later, police were dispatched for reports of a person with a gun on the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street, in front of the Matchbox restaurant at the Pentagon City mall.
From an ACPD crime report published on Friday:
At approximately 9:33 p.m. on January 26, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, it was determined at approximately 9:20 p.m., the male victim was inside his parked vehicle when Suspect One opened his door, brandished a firearm and demanded the vehicle. The victim exited and Suspect One, along with two additional suspects, entered and fled the scene in the vehicle. The stolen vehicle was later recovered in Washington D.C.
Both vehicles involved were said to be BMWs, according to scanner traffic. No injuries were reported.
This is the third carjacking in the Pentagon City and Crystal City area in the past two weeks. A man parked outside of a restaurant on Crystal Drive was carjacked by armed suspects Wednesday night.
A man was carjacked by armed suspects in Crystal City last night.
The crime happened around 8 p.m. Wednesday along the 2200 block of Crystal Drive, in front of a row of restaurants. It’s the third reported carjacking in Arlington in two weeks and the second in Crystal City, specifically.
“The male victim was inside his parked vehicle when the suspect vehicle, with three unknown male suspects inside, pulled alongside him,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Suspect One allegedly displayed a firearm from within the suspect vehicle as Suspect Two approached the victim and demanded his vehicle. The victim exited his vehicle and Suspect Two entered and fled the scene in the stolen vehicle with the suspect vehicle following.”
“Responding officers canvassed the area yielding negative results,” the crime report continues. “No injuries were reported. During the course of the investigation, the stolen vehicle was recovered in Prince George’s County, MD.”
The three suspects remain at large. The stolen vehicle was a 2017 BMW, according to public safety watcher Alan Henney.
ARMED CARJACKING IN #CrystalCityVa — Crystal Dr at 23rd St South in front of the restaurant. Male with a gun carjacked victim of a white 2017 BMW X6 with Va tags. @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/fE0RuVPxUx
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) January 26, 2023
Two people were carjacked in Crystal City on Sunday night, the second carjacking reported in Arlington last week.
It happened around 10 p.m. along the neighborhood’s 23rd Street S. restaurant row. At least one of the carjackers was armed, police said.
“A patrol officer was flagged down by the two victims who reported a carjacking,” the Arlington County Police Department said in a crime report today. “The investigation determined the victims were at their parked vehicle when the suspect vehicle approached and the three suspects exited. One suspect brandished a firearm as they approached the victims and demanded their vehicle. The suspects then fled the area in the victim’s stolen vehicle, which is described as a 2019 white Audi A5 with VA license plate UEF9067, with the suspect vehicle following.”
No injuries were reported, ACPD said. The suspects remain at large.
CRYSTAL CITY CARJACKING— 23rd St South at South Fern St in Arlington. Four guys with a gun took a white Audi A5 with Va tags. Reported around 10:15 p.m. @ARLnowDOTcom @CrystalCityVa pic.twitter.com/plUx2FoKGs
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) January 16, 2023
The other reported carjacking last week happened on Thursday, near Columbia Pike, when a 54-year-old Arlington man allegedly carjacked a woman he knows.
A man went on a vandalism spree along Columbia Pike last night, police say.
The incident happened around 10:45 p.m. amid the apartment buildings on Columbia Pike between George Mason Drive and Glebe Road.
“The victims heard a loud noise and observed a window to their residence had been broken and subsequently determined a window to their vehicle had also been shattered,” the Arlington County Police Department said in a crime report. “During the course of the investigation, it was determined the mirror of a vehicle parked in the 3700 block of 12th Street S. had been removed and thrown through a residential window in the 3800 block of Columbia Pike.”
“Additionally, vandalism was reported inside the common area to the residential building,” the crime report noted. The suspect, said to be around 20 years old, remains at large.
Also in today’s crime report, a 54-year-old Arlington man allegedly carjacked a woman he knows following a dispute.
The incident happened yesterday (Thursday) morning near Arlington’s western end of Columbia Pike.
From ACPD:
CARJACKING, 2023-01120081, 1000 block of S. Frederick Street. At approximately 10:25 a.m. on January 12, police were dispatched to the report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim and suspect, who are known to each other, became involved in a verbal dispute, during which the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim before fleeing the scene in her vehicle. The victim sustained minor injuries and did not require the treatment of medics. Officers obtained a warrant for the suspect, made telephone contact with him and coordinated him turning himself in to police. [The suspect], 54, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Carjacking. He was released on his own recognizance.
