Fairfax County police said they’ve arrested a man accused of robbing a Falls Church, Virginia, massage business in 2021, and they’re urging any other victims to contact them.
Mohamed Tahir, 33, was arrested and charged earlier this year, after a robbery at Deep Blue Massage in Seven Corners this September, police said. Officials said a man with a handgun and Taser entered, allegedly assaulting two employees and taking money.
The victims were treated at the scene for injuries police described as minor.
Tahir was taken into custody the same night as the incident, police said, and was charged with strangulation, robbery and two counts of abduction by force.
Detectives, according to Lt. James Curry, noticed the Sept. 9 incident had similar characteristics to a robbery in 2021, including the style of the robberies and how the suspect entered the businesses. In that case, police said, a suspect armed with a handgun allegedly assaulted and robbed two victims at Blue Therapy Massage in Springfield.
“It’s a good detective who remembers cases, remembers some of the specific details of each incident and making sure that we can take this closure and bring it back to a case in 2021,” Curry said.
Police arrested Tahir again Thursday, in connection with the 2021 case, according to a news release. He faces multiple charges including robbery, strangulation, abduction by force and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
“With these cases, recognizing that there was an incident that occurred recently, and one back in 2021, we recognized that there could be a possibility of additional victims,” Curry told WTOP. “That’s why we’re sharing this message. We want anyone to come forward who may have been a victim of this crime.”
Curry said he recognizes that everyone has their own timeline for when they’re comfortable reporting a crime.
“Being a victim of a crime is very traumatic,” Curry said. “There’s never a correct time to report a crime.”
Police ask any victims to reach out to the Major Crimes Bureau by calling 703-246-7800 and selecting option 5. Tipsters can submit information anonymously by calling 1-866-411-8477, using the county’s crime solvers app or visiting the crime solvers website.
