July 17, 2002
<sh>Warrants Issued in Eckerd Robbery
<bt>On July 11, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office issued warrants for Robert Charles Bedell, 32, and Joseph Paul Mullins, 40, both of Fredericksburg. The charges stem from the July 2, 2002 robbery of the Eckerd Drug Store in Sterling.
On July 2, sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a robbery at the Eckerd. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed a store employee who stated an unidentified white male approached the register and handed her a note implying that he had a weapon. The subject never displayed a weapon during the incident and left the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The sheriff's office has charged Mullins with accessory before the fact to robbery and Bedell has been charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Both men are currently being held in Washington, D.C. on unrelated charges.
<sh>Loudoun County Emergencies Agencies Receive Federal Funding
<bt>Loudoun County will receive $4.3 million in emergency response money for the county's critical emergencies. Rep. Frank Wolf went before the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to announce that the money, totalling $48.6 million would be released for Northern Virginia communities. The determination of what county received what money was decided by their proximity to Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will receive around $1.43 million, the rest will go to other county agencies. The money will help keep them better prepared for future emergencies.