An 18-year-old Arlington woman is facing a litany of charges after an reported bike theft led to violence.
The incident happened Sunday evening near the intersection of S. Walter Reed Drive and S. Glebe Road.
Police say they were called after a woman entered a home and stole a bike. Confronted by a victim a couple of blocks away, the woman allegedly “assaulted him, attempted to steal his jewelry, damaged a watch and struck him with a bottle.”
The suspect is also accused of kicking two of the police officers who subsequently took her into custody.
More, below, from the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2024-03170214, 1700 block of S. Walter Reed Drive. At approximately 7:15 p.m. on March 17, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the female suspect allegedly entered the victims’ home and was verbally confronted by Victim One. The suspect then stole a bicycle, exited the home and fled the scene. Victim Two located the suspect with the stolen bicycle at 18th Street S. and S. Monroe Street and approached her. The suspect subsequently assaulted him, attempted to steal his jewelry, damaged a watch and struck him with a bottle. The suspect then assaulted a witness who attempted to intervene. As responding officers were detaining the suspect, she kicked two of the officers. Victim Two reported minor injuries and did not require medical treatment. [The suspect], 18, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Assault on Police (x2), Assault and Battery (x2), Malicious Wounding, Burglary, Destruction of Property and Attempted Robbery. She was held without bond.
Another notable burglary incident happened early Sunday morning in the Cherrydale area. A man tried to force entry into four homes before police were called and a 38-year-old suspect was taken into custody, according to ACPD.
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY (Series) , 2024-03170063/2024-03170064/2024-03170087, 4000 block of Vacation Lane/3900 block of Lorcom Lane/3700 block of Lorcom Lane. At approximately 3:20 a.m. on March 17, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the female victim was inside her residence when she heard loud banging and observed the male suspect allegedly attempting to force entry into her home by kicking a door. The suspect then left the scene and a short time later, three additional victims in the area reported an individual matching the description of the suspect attempt to force entry into their homes before fleeing the scene. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers canvassed the area and located the suspect. The suspect ran from officers and was subsequently located in the 2400 block of N. Lincoln Street and taken into custody. [The suspect], 38, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Attempted Burglary (x4).
A wild incident involving a theft suspect in Pentagon City over the weekend was caught on camera.
It happened around 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, a block away from the Pentagon Centre shopping center. Police say a 31-year-old man stole items from a nearby store and then tried to fight an officer who tried to take him into custody.
An off-duty officer driving by saw the struggle and stopped to help.
More, beloe, from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2024-03090121, 1200 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 1:41 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business and allegedly concealed merchandise before exiting the store without payment. A responding officer located the suspect in the area of 15th Street S. and S. Fern Street and attempted to detain him. The suspect resisted arrest, pushed the officer away and attempted to strike them during which an off-duty officer who was driving in the area observed the struggle and exited their vehicle to assist in taking the suspect into custody. The suspect sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention. [The suspect], 31, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Petit Larceny and Obstruction of Justice.
The scene was caught on camera and posted to social media by local public safety watcher Dave Statter.
Watch this: A little street drama around 2pm on S. 15th between Elm and Fern in Pentagon City. A struggle occurred between an @ArlingtonVaPD officer and a person they were trying to detain. Someone jumped out of their car to help the officer before backup arrived. Officers were… pic.twitter.com/l86OExmLlV
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 9, 2024
Today’s crime report also details a trio of robberies, in the Pentagon City, Rosslyn, and Courthouse areas.
The first, Saturday night, involved a knife-wielding man stealing money from a tip jar. The second, Sunday morning, involved a man who drove by a woman in a parking lot and stole her phone out of her hand. The third, Sunday night, involved a theft of cigarettes from a store by a pair of robbers, one of whom reportedly had a gun.
More from ACPD:
ROBBERY, 2024-03090186, 1000 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 7:02 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, approached an employee at the counter and demanded cash. When the employee refused, the suspect brandished a knife and stole money from a tip jar before leaving the scene on foot. No injuries were reported. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 40-50 years old, 5’10”-6’0” wearing all dark clothing. The investigation is ongoing.
ROBBERY, 2024-03100095, 1100 block of Arlington Boulevard. At approximately 11:03 a.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined a dispute ensued after the male suspect, who was driving in a parking lot, honked at the female victim, who was walking. The suspect then drove next to the victim with his window down and stole her cellphone from her hand before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. No injuries were reported. During the course of the investigation, the cellphone was recovered in the area. The suspect is described as an older white male driving a blue sedan. The investigation is ongoing.
ROBBERY, 2024-03110001, 1800 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 11:56 p.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the two male suspects entered the business, selected merchandise, approached the counter and asked for cigarettes to be added to the transaction. A verbal dispute between the employee and suspects ensued during which the suspects attempted to steal the cigarettes before exiting the store. The employee confronted the suspects outside the business during which one suspect brandished a firearm before both suspects entered a silver sedan and fled the scene. No injuries were reported. The suspects are described as white males, approximately 5’6”-5’7”, 130-180 pounds with black or brown hair. The investigation is ongoing.
Four masked men allegedly broke into an Arlington apartment building early Tuesday morning and stole mail from the mailroom.
The theft happened at the Camden Potomac Yard apartments, on the 3500 block of S. Ball Street, near the Alexandria border.
“At approximately 2:07 a.m. on March 5, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The preliminary investigation indicates four male suspects entered the residential building and stole mail and packages.”
“An employee observed the suspects and called police. The suspects then fled the scene in a white SUV prior to police arrival,” Savage continued. “The suspects are described as Black males with slender builds, approximately 5’10”, wearing ski masks and all black clothing. The investigation is ongoing.”
Savage said police are investigating whether the suspects might be responsible for other mail thefts.
“Mail addressed to other locations were recovered during the course of the investigation into the larceny,” she said, in response to an ARLnow inquiry about other mail thefts in the county. “As part of the ongoing investigation, detectives are working to determine if other similar incidents occurred at additional residential buildings.”
Arlington residents whose mail or packages are stolen should file an online police report, Savage said.
Local public safety watcher Alan Henney posted on social media the following memo to residents, from building management, about the mail theft.
Last night at approximately 2:07 AM 4 masked individuals entered the north mail room and broke into several mailboxes. Our on-duty concierge immediately contacted Arlington County Police who arrived at 2:18 AM after the individuals fled minutes before. A police report has been filed and Officer Laprise and Costello-Mays have requested that any residents with missing mail to contact them directly to make a report. The officers that responded also informed us that this was not an isolated incident, but this occurred at multiple properties in the local area.
Although our building does have cameras and controlled access, crime can still occur. Please be mindful of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity to Arlington County Police at 911 or non-emergency at 703-558-2222.
Henney had previously posted about a vehicle theft from the building’s parking garage, which happened over the weekend.
ACPD confirmed the incident to ARLnow, sharing the following crime report item.
STOLEN VEHICLE, 2024-03020072, 3500 block of S. Ball Street. At approximately 10:23 a.m. on March 2, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. The preliminary report indicates that at approximately 7:18 a.m., the suspect entered the residential garage and stole the victim’s vehicle, a gray 2013 Honda CRV with Virginia license plate TUA9377. The suspect is described as a Black male wearing a beanie, dark colored coat, sweatpants and black shoes. The investigation is ongoing.
Same building as the car break-in on Sunday. This message is from today. @ARLnowDOTcom #DMVCrime https://t.co/ieTL2vaVPr pic.twitter.com/8ELwL110H1
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) March 5, 2024
An Arlington man is in jail after police say he threatened another man with a gun along Langston Blvd.
The incident happened just before noon this past Friday, near the intersection of Langston Blvd and N. Kirkwood Road. It started, police said, as a dispute inside a business.
More, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.
BRANDISHING, 2024-03010111, 3100 block of Langston Boulevard. At approximately 11:52 a.m. on March 1, police were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect and male victim were inside a business when they became involved in a verbal dispute. Following the dispute, both parties exited the business and entered their respective vehicles. The suspect then allegedly circled the victim’s vehicle while brandishing what appeared to be a firearm before parking the vehicle and fleeing the area on foot. Responding officers established a perimeter, located the suspect and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 36, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Driving while DUI Suspended. He was held without bond.
In another gun-related incident, police say a 24-year-old driver who got out of their car and shouted at a police officer in Crystal City had a concealed, loaded gun.
The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
From ACPD:
WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2024-03020218, 23rd Street S. at S. Clark Street. At approximately 11:28 p.m. on March 2, a patrol officer observed a vehicle improperly stop in the roadway before the suspect, who was the driver, exited the vehicle, approached the cruiser and began to shout at the officer. The officer then activated his emergency equipment and made contact with the suspect. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect was operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s license. During an inventory search of the vehicle prior to towing, a loaded firearm was recovered. [The suspect], 24, of Washington D.C. was charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon and released on a summons.
Also on Saturday, several cars — all Hondas — had their airbags stolen in the Waverly Hills neighborhood.
More from the crime report:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2024-03020079, 4400 block of 16th Street N. At approximately 11:08 a.m. on March 2, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect(s) forced entry into the victim’s vehicle and stole the air bag. Responding officers canvassed the area and located two additional vehicles, in the 1500 block of N. Wakefield Street and the 4300 block of 15th Street N., with stolen air bags. The involved vehicles are Honda models. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged with “simulated masturbation” after an incident in Rosslyn.
Police responded to the area of Langston Boulevard and N. Oak Street shortly after 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, for a man who was reportedly exposing himself.
From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:
INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2024-02010140, Langston Boulevard at N. Oak Street. At approximately 1:11 p.m. on February 1, police were dispatched to the report of an exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were walking in the area when they observed the male suspect allegedly exposing himself. Responding officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody. Channing Ballinger, 39, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Public Masturbation. He was held without bond.
The exact charge is “simulated masturbation,” according to the Arlington General District Court website, which also notes that the suspect remains in custody. The suspect has no past criminal history in Arlington, though a man of the same name and approximate age was previously charged with assaulting a police officer in Western New York, per a TV news report.
There have been a number of police dispatches to Rosslyn for reports of public masturbation in recent months, including at least two in the area of the H-B Woodlawn school at 1601 Wilson Blvd, per scanner traffic.
Police tell ARLnow that no arrests have been made in the previous incidents.
“As part of the investigation, officers will work to determine if [the suspect] is linked to any other incidents in the county,” said ACPD spokeswoman Alli Shorb. “Regarding your request related to North Rosslyn incidents, no arrests have been made.”
Separately, ACPD is investigating a series of airbag thefts along Columbia Pike from over the weekend. Six vehicles — all Hondas — were damaged.
From the latest crime report:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series) (Late), 2024-02030091, 3800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 8:33 a.m. on February 3, police were dispatched to the late report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 10:00 p.m. on February 2 and 8:33 a.m. on February 3, the unknown suspect(s) forced entry into six vehicles by damaging the driver’s side door handle and stole airbags. Tools and electronics were also reported stolen from one of the vehicles. The victim vehicles are Honda models. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.
Arlington officers on the weekend nightlife detail, meanwhile, reportedly made an arrest early Sunday morning following a fight outside of a bar in Clarendon.
The fight was caught on video and posted to social media by public safety watcher Dave Statter.
This appears to be from the 1 a.m. Clarendon Ballroom fight I shared this morning⏬⏬. One arrest reported. Thanks to all who shared this with me. https://t.co/Di29iaVPRu
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 4, 2024
Two men — including one with an apparent military connection — have been arrested in connection with a series of Pride flags stolen from an Arlington couple, police announced Friday evening.
Twenty-year-old Matthew Henshaw was arrested and charged with three counts of bias-motivated unlawful entry and three counts of petit larceny for incidents occurring on Sept. 16 and Sept. 30 and Jan. 27. ACPD said he resides at Fort Myer, suggesting he has military ties. Henshaw was released on a secured bond.
Joseph Digregorio, 23, of Bay Shore, New York, was charged with one count of petit larceny for an incident occurring on Jan. 21 and was released on a summons.
Penrose residents Michelle Logan and her partner Jenna Burnett took to social media late last month to ask for community help identifying who has stolen Pride flags from their home on five occasions over the last five months, using security camera footage. The couple also filed police reports and told their story on local TV news broadcasts.
ACPD announced its property crimes unit made the arrests one week after telling ARLnow its investigation was ongoing.
“Between September 2023 and January 2024, the Arlington County Police Department received five online reports for larcenies in the 200 block of S. Courthouse Road,” ACPD said in a statement. “In each incident, a male suspect approached the property during the early morning hours and stole a Pride flag from outside the residence before leaving the scene. During the course of the investigation, detectives reviewed evidence and conducted witness interviews which led to the identification of the suspects.”
ACPD says this remains an active criminal investigation.
“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],” the police department said. “Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).”
Photo via Michelle Logan/Twitter
Michelle Logan and her partner Jenna Burnett celebrated their moving in together and the end of Pride month last July by displaying a rainbow flag in front of their house.
But two months later, while looking out the window of their Penrose home one morning, the couple noticed the flag had vanished. All that remained was a mangled flag pole.
Upon reviewing footage from their Ring camera, the couple observed a man dressed in a cowboy hat forcefully remove the flag from its resting place around 2:35 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2023. He can then be seen fleeing with two other people on foot, heading north along S. Courthouse Road.
After that night, the couple would have their Pride flag stolen from their porch four more times. Logan has posted four of the five incidents to the social media site X, formerly Twitter, and provided regular updates on Reddit.
“To us, this isn’t just about a flag being stolen. Each time this happens is really violating and scary,” Logan told ARLnow in an email. “It’s a reminder that a lot of work still needs to be done for LGBTQ+ communities to feel comfortable and supported being their full selves, and loving who they want to love.”
People keep stealing our pride flag in Arlington VA, a thread. Here’s the first time (help us ID this group please!) 1/5 pic.twitter.com/RMWs4FdncT
— Michelle Logan (@mlogs93) January 27, 2024
Although the footage didn’t provide a clear view of the culprit, Logan and Burnett said they filed a police report.
In defiance of the vandal, the couple purchased a new flag pole, and several friends, along with the Arlington-based community organization The Kindness Activist, donated flags.
Two weeks later, they again faced the theft of their Pride flag by a man in a cowboy hat. This time, in addition to reporting the incident to Arlington County police, Logan and Burnett shared the footage on Nextdoor, hoping the community could help identify the individual.
“Our friend even made a funny ‘Have you seen this anti-LGBTQ+ cowboy?’ flag and we hung it up to make light of the situation,” Logan said.
After a third flag was stolen on Dec. 16, Logan and Burnett appeared on WUSA9 to raise awareness about the multiple incidents. They pledged to donate $100 to the Trevor Project, an international suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ youth, for each previous and subsequent theft of their flag, for a total of $300.
“We then put another flag up because we didn’t want to let him stop us from being ourselves and sharing who we are,” Logan said.
The fourth theft took place last Sunday, Jan. 21, at 2:14 a.m. This time, the thief’s face was captured on camera but it is unclear whether this individual was the same person seen wearing a cowboy hat during the initial two thefts.
(Updated at 4 p.m.) A Florida resident is facing 19 separate charges after police responded to a residential break-in yesterday.
Police were first dispatched to a home on N. Powhatan Street, in the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls neighborhood, around 4 p.m. for a reported burglary in progress. It’s unclear how that incident ended, but officers responded back to the same block just over three hours later and a standoff ensued.
“At approximately 7:23 p.m., police were dispatched to the 2300 block of N. Powhatan Street for the report of suspicious circumstances,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, the incident was determined to be a burglary in progress. Responding officers gave the female suspect commands to exit the residence which she refused to comply with and remained inside.”
Neighbors took note of the activity, with someone posting on the Ring Neighbors website that “ACPD currently has about 5 squad cars and 5+ officers standing outside a residence holding the door at gunpoint.”
“Officers continued to provide commands and subsequently took the suspect into custody,” Savage said. “She was taken into custody at approximately 8:49 p.m.”
Officers were subsequently dispatched to the home for evidence collection and scene security.
The suspect, Vivian Vann, is being held at the Arlington County jail on an array of charges, with alleged crimes in Arlington starting on Sept. 18.
“During a search of her property, police recovered identifications, credit cards and other documents related to fraudulent activity,” an ACPD crime report released Thursday afternoon added. “The investigation also determined the suspect had allegedly entered a residence in the 1400 block of S. Quincy Street.”
According to court and jail records, the charges against Vann include:
- Grand larceny auto (x2)
- Forging public records (x4)
- Obtaining money or property >=$1,000 by false pretenses
- Impersonating a law enforcement officer
- Identity theft (x3)
- Identity theft with over $1,000 in losses and 5+ victims, resulting in the arrest of a victim
- Unlawful entry
- Burglary
- Credit card forgery
- Procuring a vehicle with intent to defraud
- Manufacturing, selling and/or possessing fake identification (x2)
- Financially exploiting a mentally incapacitated person
Vann — listed as a resident of Dania Beach, Florida — is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 18, after an arraignment today.
News articles and court records show that she has faced a variety of theft, identity theft and fraud charges in Florida and elsewhere dating back to 2003 and as recently as 2022.
Hat tip to Matthew Young
Someone lit a car on fire near the Arlington border, using fireworks stolen from the Bluemont area.
That’s according to the Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office, which today released surveillance photos of a “possible witness” to the June 17 incident just east of Seven Corners. Fire marshals are trying to identify the person in the photos.
More from the flyer released today:
The Arlington County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a Theft of Commercial Fireworks and Arson of a Vehicle and is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a possible witness. At approximate 9pm on June 17, 2023 the Fire Department responded to Patrick Henry Dr Falls Church/ Wilson Blvd & N. McKinley Rd Arlington for the report of a vehicle fire. The investigation determined the cause of the fire was ARSON and the suspect used fireworks stolen from a commercial fireworks stand in the 5100 Block of Wilson Blvd to burn the vehicle. The individual pictured above may have information regarding or have witnessed the crime.
Anyone with information about the crime or the possible witness is asked to contact Lt. John Crooke at (703)-228-4649 or [email protected].
The ACFD's Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is seeking the public's assistance in identifying an individual wanted for questioning related to an incident occurring at approx. 9pm on June 17, 2023. If you have any information, please contact the OFM by calling 703-228-4649 pic.twitter.com/c2vWJ5u3cC
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) September 20, 2023
(Updated at 4 p.m.) A 37-year-old Arlington man is facing nearly 20 charges related to a series of side view mirror thefts from vehicles.
The thefts started in April and continued into May and June. In total, according to Arlington County police, more than 100 vehicles had mirrors stolen or damaged in the crime spree.
Many modern side view mirrors house sensors and other electronics that could be worth more than a thousand dollars, making them attractive to thieves.
Police say the suspect was arrested Wednesday after evidence led detectives to him during the investigation. Police say additional charges are possible, on top of the current 19 theft and destruction of property charges.
More from an ACPD press release:
The Arlington County Police Department’s Property Crimes – Auto Unit is announcing the arrest of the suspect in a series of thefts of vehicle parts. Luis Manuel Tavares Sanchez, 37, of Arlington, VA is charged with nine counts of Petit Larceny and ten counts of Destruction of Property, two of which are felony charges. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
In late April 2023, police began investigating a series of thefts in which the suspect would steal and/or damage the glass from sideview mirrors of parked vehicles in various neighborhoods throughout Arlington County. In total, police received 61 reports documenting 104 vehicles with stolen or damaged mirrors. During the course of the investigation, detectives reviewed evidence, spoke to witnesses and followed up on investigative leads which led to the identification of the suspect. He was taken into custody on the afternoon of July 26, 2023. The investigation into the series is ongoing and additional charges may be sought at a later time.
The same suspect was arrested in October and charged with damaging more than 90 cars with a BB gun, an ACPD spokeswoman confirmed to ARLnow. He had been released on a jail diversion program and was due in court on this coming Wednesday, Aug. 2 to update his progress.
Two cars were stolen and eight were rummaged through at some point overnight, according to Arlington County police.
The theft series happened in neighborhoods north of Langston Blvd, including the Old Dominion and Donaldson Run communities, between last night and early this morning.
Police have no description of the suspect or suspects.
More, below, from an ACPD crime report.
GRAND LARCENY AUTO, LARCENY FROM AUTO, VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series)(Late), 2023-07260060/2023-07260067/2023-07260075/2023-07260089/2023-07260092/2023-07260145, 2300 block of N. Columbus Street/2400 block of N. Utah Street/4800 block of 24th Road N./4800 block of 24th Street N./4600 block of 23rd Road N./2300 block of N. Stafford Street. The investigation determined between approximately 7:00 p.m. on July 26 and 6:30 a.m. on July 27, the unknown suspects entered approximately eight vehicles, rummaged through the inside and stole items of value. Additionally, two vehicles were stolen from the area. The stolen vehicles are described as a blue 2013 Lexus ES 300 with Virginia license plate… and a white Toyota Rav4 with Virginia license plate… There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.