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Fairfax County police are issuing a public warning and urging Northern Virginia business owners to be vigilant after a string of burglaries involving kratom products.
“Kratom is something new that we have seen stolen, most recently, only in these burglaries that have just occurred,” said Gregory Fried, deputy chief of police for criminal investigations and cyber and forensics bureau in Fairfax County.
Kratom is a plant commonly found in Southeast Asia that has become increasingly popular for its opioid-like effects on anxiety, handling drug dependence and reducing pain. However, it hasn’t been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration.
One component of kratom, 7-hydroxymitragynine, is becoming a popular chemical sold in the form of gummies and energy drinks at gas stations and convenience stores, The Associated Press reported. Health officials are planning to crack down on 7-hydroxymitragynine after pressure from the drug supplement industry.
The FDA’s plan isn’t targeting “natural kratom leaf products,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
“It is addictive,” Fried said, adding it only recently has emerged on the department’s radar. “You’ve got to be 21 to purchase it in Virginia. There are some states that it is illegal; Virginia is not one of them.”
Robberies for personal use
Police said they’re increasing awareness about the substance after a string of recent burglaries committed by the same person targeting Star Tobacco along Braddock Road. One robbery was in June and the other was earlier this month, according to Fried.
During the police investigation, Fried said City of Fairfax police reported three similar burglaries there. The departments concluded the same suspect was involved in all five instances.
David Elliot, 23, was taken into custody Friday, police said. He was charged with five counts of burglary and released on $5,000 bond.
Fried said police think Elliot was taking the kratom products for his own use rather than selling them. It’s unclear why kratom is getting attention now, he said.
“We had burglaries here,” Fried said. “There have been other local burglaries that have had it taken recently.”
So far this year, Fairfax County has seen 14 burglaries at vape shops, Fried said. Some have happened repeatedly at the same locations. Arrests have been made in nine of the cases.
In burglaries not related to kratom, vape pens and cash have been stolen, Fried said. At some vape shops, illicit substances have been sold, he added, saying the department’s Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau is working on those investigations.
“Their inventory is probably, certainly, expanding,” Fried said.
In some cases, products are stolen for personal use, but some do get stolen and sold, Fried said. Arrests that have been made in vape shop burglaries include a combination of adults and juveniles.
It’s important, Fried said, for parents to remain active in their kids’ lives, “knowing what they’re doing, not only with the people that they’re hanging out with, where they’re going when they leave the home, their phones, any type of social media.”
Putting business owners on alert
In response to recent incidents, Fried said the department is working with business owners to ensure they’re taking proper security measures.
Kratom is a “top item being stolen,” police said in a news release, adding, “Its misuse and resale pose growing risks to public safety.”
Business owners should make sure the doors are locked and secured when they leave, Fried said, and they can use bars to provide additional locks. The department often finds that alarm systems aren’t active or monitored regularly.
Businesses should also make sure security cameras are working, Fried said. They’re encouraging business owners to join Connect Fairfax, the department’s network of cameras, “to give our investigators an opportunity to be able to solve crimes faster and bring justice to these cases.”
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