Alert: Mail Stolen from Collection Boxes
The Vienna Police Department would like to warn citizens that mail has been stolen from the US Post Office collection boxes at the corner of Church St NW and Lawyers Rd NW after being broken into several times this year. The most recent incident occurred overnight from Nov. 22 to Nov. 23. If you used these mailboxes during that time, please ensure that any checks, banknotes, or other important mail reached its intended destination. Mail theft or tampering is investigated by the US Postal Inspection Service and may be reported via their website at https://www.uspis.gov/report/. The Vienna Police department cooperates fully with their investigations and forwards all mail theft reports to the Postal Inspection Service. If you see suspicious activity at the mail collection boxes, contact the Vienna Police Department for an immediate response.
To avoid theft, citizens are advised to use the collection mailboxes at 200 Block Lovers Lane, NW inside the post office.
The following summary contains various incidents of general interest handled by the Town of Vienna Police Department from Nov. 25, 2020 – Dec. 3, 2020.
Between Jan. 1, 2018 at 12 a.m. and Nov. 25, 2020 at 2:09 p.m. A resident reported that in 2018, he was notified by a bank that a fraudulent account was opened by an unknown person using his personal information. He resolved the issue with the bank’s security department at that time. He is now receiving notices from a collection agency regarding the fraudulent activity on the account.
Fraud -- 200 Block Cherry Street, SW, Between Sept. 1 at 12 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. A resident reported that a check she mailed was stolen, forged, and cashed.
Suspicious Event -- 400 Block Orchard Street, NW, Between Nov. 3 at 12 p.m. and Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. A resident reported that a check she was supposed to receive in the mail never arrived. The resident was advised to contact the US Postal Service to file a report.
Fraud -- 500 Block Gibson Drive, SW, Between Nov. 6 at 12 pm. and Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. A resident contracted a company to paint a home that he owns in North Carolina. The resident received an email requesting payment for the work from someone stating that he worked for the painting company. The resident wired the payment, believing it was going to the company performing the work, but the company never received the payment. The contractor, the resident was working with, did not know the person who sent the email.
Fraud -- 600 Block Alma Street, SE, Between Nov. 22 at 3 a.m. and Nov. 23 at 5 p.m. A resident reported that she mailed a check from the mailbox at Church Street and Lawyers Road that was stolen, forged, and cashed.
Police Service -- 900 Block Westwood Drive, NE, Nov. 25 11:45 a.m. A resident turned in a BB gun for destruction.
Arrest - Emotionally Disturbed Person and Emergency Custody Order -- Moore Avenue, SW, Nov. 25 7:33 p.m. Ofc. McElhattan served an Emergency Custody Order on a resident. The resident was transported to an area hospital for evaluation and treatment. During the transport and medical evaluation the man exhibited violent and erratic behavior toward the officer and medical staff. A Temporary Detention Order was issued and a Fairfax County Officer took custody of the man at the hospital.
Emotionally Disturbed Person -- Owaissa Road, SE, Nov. 26 10:59 a.m.
Officers responded to assist mental health personnel with a resident. The resident refused to exit his home to speak to anyone.
Domestic Assault -- Nutley Street, NW, Nov. 26 11:41 a.m.
A resident reported that her two adult grandsons were fighting in her home. One of the men left the house before officers arrived. The resident reported her concerns about the grandson who resides with her. Officers provided the resident with resources available to assist her grandson.
Grand Larceny -- 400 Block Holmes Drive, NW, Nov. 26 between 1 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. A citizen reported that someone entered her vehicle and stole several items from a purse, including an iPhone, a wallet, US currency, gift cards, and various identification and debit cards. The citizen believes her vehicle was locked, however, there were no signs of forced entry.
Emotionally Disturbed Person -- Nutley Street, NW, Nov. 26 6:17 p.m.
PFC Gucwa transported a resident to an area medical facility for assessment. After the assessment, the man was released by medical staff and the officer transported him back to his home.
Shoplifting -- Giant Food, 359 Maple Avenue, East, Nov. 27, 2:14 p.m.
An employee reported that a man left the store with alcohol that he did not pay for.
Petit Larceny -- 1000 Block Ware Street, SW, Between Nov. 27 at 9 p.m. and Nov. 28 at 10:21 a.m. A resident reported that someone stole his wallet from his unlocked vehicle
Arrest – Drunk In Public -- Wawa, 465 Maple Avenue, West, Nov. 27 9:10 p.m. Officers responded to the report of a man acting erratically. Rescue personnel responded and attempted to assess the man who refused treatment and attempted to flee. PFC Gucwa arrested the 33-year-old man from Meadow View Lane in Mineral, Va. He was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with Drunk In Public.
Grand Larceny -- 600 Block Blackstone Terrace, NW, Nov. 27, 10:40 p.m.
A resident reported that she returned home and unloaded her vehicle. She returned to the unlocked vehicle fifteen minutes later and found that someone had stolen her purse and iPhone.
Grand Larceny, 500 Block Malcolm Road, NW, Nov. 28 between 5. and 10:30 p.m. A citizen reported that he parked his vehicle in the driveway while he visited his parents. When he returned to the vehicle, he found his wallet was stolen. The citizen is not sure if his vehicle was locked.
Telephone Case -- 600 Block Orrin Street, SE, Nov. 29 between 7 a.m. and 11:04 a.m. A resident reported that she received several telephone calls from an unknown man who was threatening her. She believes this was the same man who has called her home periodically over the last few months.
Animal Case -- 400 Block Holloway Court, NE, Nov. 29, 12:06 p.m. An officer responded to the area for an on-going complaint of a barking dog. ACO Barker is following up with the dog owner.
Suspicious Event -- 200 Block Locust Street, SE, Nov. 29, 7:50 p.m. A resident reported a dispute she was having with her roommate over a bowl.
Animal Case -- Dunkin Donuts, 314 Maple Avenue, West, Nov. 30, 10 a.m.
A citizen found a dog running at large near the Dunkin Donuts and brought it to the police station. Attempts to locate an owner were unsuccessful and the dog was transported to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.
Vandalism -- 1100 Block Cottage Street, SW, Between Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. A resident reported that someone knocked the wreath off of his front door and pulled the holiday lights off the bushes in his yard.
Grand Larceny -- 2400 Oak Vale Court, NW, Between Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. and Dec. 1 at 4:30 p.m. A resident placed outgoing mail in her mailbox that included three checks that she was sending to various creditors with her bills. The next day she observed shredded paper in the gutter that she recognized as the remnants of the envelopes she had placed in the mailbox.
Police Service-- 500 Block Kingsley Road, SW, Dec. 1, 11 p.m. A resident reported that his ex-wife lost his iPad in California. He is now seeing activity on his iPad account.
Animal Case -- 1000 Echols Street, SE, Dec. 1, 12 p.m. A citizen requested a welfare check on a dog that was barking all day. The Animal Control Officer checked the area a few times, but never observed any violations. He spoke to the dog’s owner to advise her of the complaint and requested she bring the dog inside when he begins to bark.
Suspicious Event -- 200 Block Locust Street, SE, Dec. 1, 8:55 p.m. A resident reported that they saw a man carrying a handgun walk into an apartment. They believed they then heard shots fired in the apartment. Officers checked the area and spoke to several residents, however, no one else had seen or heard anything suspicious.
Grand Larceny -- 500 Block Ayr Hill Avenue, NE, Between Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 12:50 p.m. A resident reported their bicycle was stolen from their garage.
Animal Case – Quarantine -- 1100 Block Pekay Street, SW, Dec. 3, 12 p.m.
A delivery person who was dropping off a package was bitten by a dog that lives at the residence, causing a minor laceration. The dog’s owner was advised of the 10-day quarantine.
Suspicious Event -- 200 Block Church Street, NE, Dec. 3, 5:46 p.m. A resident reported that two women came to her door selling magazines to donate to a local homeless shelter. The resident provided the women with a check as a donation. After the women left, the resident researched the charity and believed the women were part of a scam. The resident canceled her check before it was cashed.