Speeding Teens Elude Police —
On Saturday, April 24, two teenage boys narrowly missed hitting a tree while eluding police officers who chased them while responding to a complaint of a noisy party in Waynewood.
The vehicle, a Chevy Corsica sedan which was believed to have been stolen, proceeded east on Waynewood Boulevard and attempted a high speed left turn into Dalebrook Drive. It ran up the sloping yard of the corner house, barely missing a tree to the right by about a foot and blew the right front tire on exposed tree roots.
The driver managed to maintain control in a tight turn and ran back down into the street missing several parked cars, then came to rest about 120 yards into Dalebrook Drive.
By the time the officers got to the accident scene, the car occupants had fled. Witnesses said there were two teenage boys, one taking off toward the Waynewood Recreation Association Pool; the other running up Dalebrook Drive. Six police units and one police helicopter searched for the two boys, but they were not able to locate them. The investigation is ongoing.
Police Employees Charged; Resign —
A six-month investigation has led to the arrest and resignation of two civilian employees of the Fairfax County Police Department. According to police, in October 2003, detectives began to investigate the disappearance of money from the department's property section. After conducting an investigation, they determined that Kionna Garrett, 22, of 3219 Napper Road in the Hybla Valley area, had stolen over $12,000.
While researching this case, detectives discovered property missing as well. A second investigation revealed that Donald Popkins, 48, of 1244 Sterling Road in the Herndon area, had been taking items for personal use.
Both Garrett and Popkins turned themselves into detectives on April 27. Garrett, a three-year employee, was charged with three counts of embezzlement. Popkins, a 16-year employee, was charged with one count of embezzlement. Both were released on personal recognizance and both have resigned from the department.
Larceny Suspects Apprehended —
Mount Vernon is not the place to commit a crime. So says MPO Greg Kottemann, Crime Prevention Officer. On Saturday, April 17, three men who committed a crime were apprehended by quick thinking officers. Identification was made of the vehicle used in a theft at Wal-Mart. It turned out that the vehicle was stolen. Officers picked up the call on Sherwood Hall Lane; a small pursuit ensued until the vehicle went down a dead end street, at which point they were apprehended.
Charged with grand larceny auto and grand larceny theft are Raymond Rogers, 42, Landover, Md.; William Cooper, 50, Landover; and Lonnell Fortune, 43, New Carrollton, Md.
Kottemann said, "The Sherwood Hall Lane and Route 1 area is the worst place to commit a crime; it is where all our officers intersect. The fact that the lookout broadcast got out quickly and they got good information helped officers to pick up [vehicle] quickly and get suspects into custody."
Armed Robbery —
Two masked and armed men perpetrated an attack in the 6700 block of West Wakefield Dr., in the Belle View section of Alexandria on Friday, April 9, at 11:15 p.m. One assailant was approximately 5-feet, 1-inches tall, 190 lbs., while the other was believed to be about 6-feet tall and 160 lbs. The police were called and the investigation is continuing.
Man Tricked at Wal-Mart —
Two men who were wearing security badges tricked a man out of his money. On Monday, April 19, at 2 p.m., an Alexandria area man, 36, was at a bus stop in front of the Wal-Mart, located at 7910 Richmond Highway in the Hybla Valley area, when two cars, a beige Honda and a black Toyota Camry, drove up to him. A man got out of the Honda, approached the man at the bus stop and stated the Wal-Mart had just been robbed. He told the first man to get into his car because he needed to be identified. Although the man had doubts, he got into the car and gave the man his wallet for identification purposes when asked. The two men in the Honda were wearing Wal-Mart identification badges and security-type badges.
After the men drove him around the parking lot for a short time, they stated he was not the man they were looking for, gave him his wallet back and let him out of the car. As the men drove away, the victim checked his wallet and realized his money was gone. The victim went home and did not report the incident until about five hours later. T
he suspects in the Honda were described as white, in their 20's, 5-feet, 8-inches tall and each man weighed about 165 pounds. Both men wore beige suits. The men in the black Camry were described as possibly of Middle Eastern descent. Their involvement in the incident is still under investigation.
Anyone with information about any of these crimes is asked to call police at 703-691-2131 or Crime Solvers at 1-800-673-2777.
<1b>—Gale Curcio