The police commander for the Bethesda area says tips from the community led to quick arrests in two recent incidents, including one in a group of White Flint office buildings that has been the site of a series of office burglaries this year.
In a public safety update posted July 11 on the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center blog, 2nd District Capt. David Falcinelli said despite an arrest in June and the closure of several burglary cases, office burglaries were still happening in the area. Then police got a call from someone in one of the buildings during the first week of July
“Last week, an alert occupant of a building on Security Lane called us to report several suspicious people lurking in the building. We responded in force and arrested four suspects from the D.C. and PG areas as they tried to leave,” Falcinelli wrote.
Falcinelli said On Tuesday, July 9, police got a call from a citizen in Potomac who reported suspicious people trying to enter cars.
Police responded and arrested two juveniles who lived in the area, Falcinelli said. On Wednesday, July 10, a Chevy Chase resident called to report two suspects looking into cars. Police were unable to locate them, but Falcinelli thanked the resident for calling, which he said could have prevented more crime.
Falcinelli again said thefts from cars continues to be the most common crime in the district and most of those cases involve cars with unlocked doors.
“The one big issue that still needs a lot of work is personal crime prevention. Theft from autos remains the #1 crime and the large majority of cases involve unlocked car doors with valuables left in plain sight,” Falcinelli wrote. “Lock your doors even if they are parked in your driveway. Remove all valuable and anything that looks like it could be of value. Call 911 immediately if you see anyone in your neighborhood late at night that does not belong.”
