A carjacking suspect made a successful getaway in Pentagon City Friday night, even as Arlington County Police have stepped up patrols in the area after a series of carjackings and robberies.
Police say they were patrolling parking garages in the area of the Pentagon City mall when they were flagged down by a victim who was assaulted by a man with a gun. Shortly thereafter, just before 11 p.m., police received a report of an armed carjacking nearby.
A pair of incidents at Arlington’s two shopping malls led to four arrests and charges against six people.
The first incident happened Wednesday afternoon at the Pentagon City mall. Around 3 p.m., according to Arlington County Police, two juvenile suspects shoplifted from a store and were soon thereafter located by officers at the Pentagon City Metro station. One of the suspects lashed out violently, spitting on and hitting officers, according to police.
(Updated at 5 p.m.) Arlington County Police are investigating the third reported carjacking at a Pentagon City parking garage in the past two weeks.
Around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, according to police, a male suspect pulled a gun on a man as he was getting out of his car. The suspect drove off with the car and some of the man’s personal belongings.
Mezeh will open at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City later this year, ARLnow has learned.
The fast-casual Mediterranean grill, which just opened a new location at Ballston Quarter mall, is planning to open at the Pentagon City mall in late summer or early fall, according to Renaud Consulting leasing agent John Marigliano.
Young adult fashion retailer Abercrombie & Fitch and watch shop Swatch are no longer open in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
A mall employee told ARLnow that both stores shuttered this week. The closures come amid a rash of retailers closing up shop, in part because of the rising popularity of e-commerce, dubbed by some as a “retail apocalypse.”
A spate of armed robberies at the Pentagon City mall parking garage is continuing.
Arlington County Police say a woman was carjacked by a man with a gun last night around 10:15 p.m. The approximate address given was that of the mall’s parking garage on Army Navy Drive.
A man was carjacked in the Pentagon City mall parking garage last week, the latest in a spate of such incidents over the past few months.
The crime happened just before 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23.
(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) Greeting card and stationery store Papyrus is expected to close soon at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, the latest victim of a brutal business environment for bricks-and-mortar retailers.
The parent company of Papyrus is closing all of its more than 250 stores, news outlets reported last week, and a liquidation firm has been hired to help the chain sell off its remaining merchandise. It’s unclear when exactly the stores will close.
Regular Schedule for ART Tomorrow — “ART will operate holiday service on Christmas Day (December 25) and New Year’s Day (January 1). On both days, ART 41, 42, 45, 51, 55 and 87 will operate Sunday service. All other ART routes will not operate. ART will operate regular weekday service on December 24.” [Arlington Transit]
Holiday Hours at Pentagon City Mall — The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City is “offering special holiday hours to accommodate busy holiday shoppers… Shoppers can have their gifts beautifully wrapped this holiday season for a nominal fee with all proceeds benefiting Arms Outstretched, a local nonprofit organization supporting wounded warriors. The gift-wrapping service will be located on the second level near Nordstrom.” [Press Release]
Update at 10:50 a.m. — The source of the smoke was determined to be a “malfunctioning air handler” in Nordstrom, which is now being shut down, according to scanner traffic. Most of the fire vehicles are expected to leave the scene shortly.
Earlier: Firefighters from Arlington and neighboring jurisdictions are investigating smoke and a burning odor in the Pentagon City mall.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the Ballston Quarter and Pentagon City malls are shifting their hours and offering special activities.
At the Fashion Center at Pentagon City (1100 S. Hayes Street), the hours will vary by day, with the full holiday weekend schedule as follows:
Water Taxi Coming to Arlington? — The Potomac Riverboat Company, which operates a water taxi between the Wharf, Georgetown, Alexandria and National Harbor, is reportedly considering new commuter-oriented routes, includings a stop at the Pentagon. [ALXnow]
Dems Want to Boost State Affordable Housing Funds — “Virginia Democrats are salivating at what they might be able to achieve now that they’ve finally won unified control of state government, particularly when it comes to affordable housing… new money from the state could be ‘rocket fuel’ for efforts in Arlington if developers can pair that cash with existing funding.” [Washington Business Journal]
