Crime Report: Bungling Burglars Strike Out

Last week a trio of burglars went to a Columbia Pike apartment building looking for big score. They did not find what they were looking for.

On the night of Thursday, Jan. 31, the burglars broke into an apartment only to encounter two residents in the bedroom. They ordered the residents into a bathroom, looked around the apartment, but ended up leaving without taking anything. One of the suspects falsely identified himself as a police officer, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER, 02/01/13, 4300 block of S. Columbia Pike. At 11:20 pm on January 31, three unknown suspects forced entry into an apartment using a crowbar. Two victims were inside a bedroom within the apartment when the subjects entered the home. One of the suspects threatened the victims with the crowbar and ordered them to go into a bathroom. The suspects searched one of the bedrooms, and at one point a suspect identified himself as a police officer. The suspects eventually left, appearing not to take anything with them. Suspect one is described as a 6’2” tall, 210 lb black male. At the time of the crime he was wearing a gray hoodie, black vest, green pants and black Nike boots. Suspect two is described as a black male between 5’7” and 5’10” tall. At the time of the incident he was wearing all black snow gear, and had a mustache and goatee. Suspect three is described as a black male, 5’7”-5’10” tall, and wearing all black snow gear.

Police believe the burglars were trying to target a specific apartment, but instead broke into the wrong apartment.

Two days later, police say the same burglars came back to the same apartment building, but broke into a different apartment — the apartment they were trying to target in the first place.

“They were looking for a big score based upon the resident’s occupation,” said Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, who declined to reveal additional details. “But they didn’t get it.”

Instead of finding a large sum of cash, or some other item of significant value, the burglars came up almost empty handed. Possibly out of frustration, police say, the thieves took a couple items of negligible value.

As the crime report notes, they also rudely left the door open after they exited the apartment.

BURGLARY, 02/03/13, 4300 block of Columbia Pike. Between 8:30 pm on February 2 and 3:37 am on February 3, an unknown subject(s) forced entry into an apartment and stole several items. The subject(s) also ransacked the apartment and left the door ajar as they exited. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

ARMED ROBBERY, 02/06/13, 500 block of N. Pollard Street. At 12:21 am on February 6, police observed several subjects robbing a male victim as he was walking alone. One of the subjects brandished a handgun and demanded that the victim give him money. The other subject punched the victim in the face several times until the victim fell to the ground. Both subjects then took the victim’s wallet and cell phone. The suspects attempted to flee the scene in a car, but were stopped by police and taken into custody. Oscar Alfredo Morant Nunez, 32, of Fairfax, VA, Christopher Louise Songer, 19, of Woodbridge, VA, and Elder Ramirez-Miranda, 18, of Vienna, VA, were all arrested and charged with robbery.

ROBBERY, 02/04/13, 1800 block of N. Fort Myer Drive. At 9:02 pm on February 4, a victim was walking to the metro when he was approached by two unknown subjects. One of the subjects allegedly grabbed the victim and made a verbal threat. The victim was able to break free from the subject and flee to safety by foot. The suspect that grabbed the victim is described as a black male between the ages of 16 and 18. At the time of the incident, the subject was wearing a black ski mask and dark pants. There is no suspect description for the second subject.

ROBBERY, 02/04/13, 3800 block of N. 9th Street. At 7:55 pm on February 4, a victim was walking from her home when she was approached by an unknown subject. The subject allegedly grabbed the victim and held a box cutter to her throat. The suspect demanded that the victim give him money and a cell phone. When the victim told the subject that she did not have any money, the suspect led the victim a half of a block away where a second unknown subject was standing. The two subjects took the victim’s iPhone 4 and then fled the scene by foot. The first subject is described as a 6’0” tall, 160 lb black male. At the time of the crime, the subject was wearing a ski mask, grey winter jacket, light jeans and was brandishing a grey box cutter. The second subject is described as 5’10” tall, 200 lb black male. He was said to have a round face and beard, and was wearing a white hat, royal blue jacket with an orange bottom, dark jeans, and white shoes.

ROBBERY, 02/04/13, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At 11:02 am on February 4, four subjects entered a jewelry store with a sledgehammer. The subjects ordered store employees to exit the store. Then the subjects proceeded to break the glass of one of the displays with the sledgehammer. After taking numerous items, the subjects fled the scene by foot towards the parking garage. All four subjects are described as being between the ages of 18 and 21, 5’7”-5’8” tall, and are all black males. Suspect one and two were wearing ski masks, black jackets, and blue jeans. Suspect three was wearing a ski mask, grey pea coat, blue hoodie, and blue jeans. Suspect four was wearing a ski mask, red and white jacket, neon hoodie, and blue jeans.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, 02/05/13, 700 block of N. Vermont Street. Between 8 pm on February 4 and 6 am on February 5, an unknown subject(s) attempted to force entry into a home. The dead bolt of the front door was damaged, but the subject(s) was not able to make entry into the home. There is no suspect(s) description.

STOLEN VEHICLES

02/02/13, VA KGG8993, 2007 Toyota Yaris, Grey, 700 block of N. Monroe Street
02/03/13, VA WWB8825, 2013 Nissan Altima, Black, 900 block of S. Columbus Street
02/03/13, VA B9736 (Tags Only), 1100 block of N. Kenworth Street
02/04/13, VA XDP2566, 2010 Dodge Charger, Silver, 800 block of Army Navy Drive

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