In a sequence of events that could’ve been ripped out of a pulpy crime thriller, a man in Vienna was reportedly taken for a ride and robbed at gunpoint — potentially by a trio spotted patronizing a local gun shop earlier that day.
Around 2:40 p.m. on April 9, the man was picked up by three men in a vehicle, one of them an acquaintance, at the Giant shopping center (359 Maple Avenue), according to the Vienna Police Department’s recap for the week of April 8-14.
“While they were driving around, the three men displayed handguns and announced a robbery, taking the citizen’s belongings,” police said. “The men allowed the citizen to exit the vehicle on Cabin Road where he ran to the nearest residence for assistance.”
According to the police report, a citizen reported seeing a man shopping for a handgun at Vienna Arsenal (386 Maple Avenue East) between noon and 1 p.m. that same day. The shopper allegedly left the gun store in a vehicle with two other men.
The report doesn’t specify whether the citizen is the same person who was robbed, but it does say that the person “thought the men may be related to the robbery.”
“Unfortunately, this is an active case and we can’t comment on it at this time,” a VPD spokesperson told FFXnow when asked if the “citizen” referenced in both incidents is the same person.
Police say anyone with information or video related to the armed robbery can contact Detective Herrera at 703-255-7821 or mherrera@viennava.gov.
A chore and errand take alarming turns
In other Vienna crime news, a resident of the Park Terrace Condominiums (200 block of Park Terrace Court) told police that a verbal argument with another woman in the complex’s communal laundry room escalated into a physical assault.
“The resident reported that during the dispute, the woman punched her,” Vienna police said of the incident, which occurred at 10 a.m. on April 10. “The resident was advised of the warrant process should she wish to pursue charges against the other resident.”
For a different Vienna woman, a visit to the post office on Lawyers Road became an occasion for distress when a man followed her “for several blocks,” according to the police summary:
Suspicious Event 22-003436
Post Office
200 Lawyers Road, NW
April 12 11:30 a.m.
A resident reported that she was at the Post Office when she observed a man who was trying to get her attention. The man followed the resident for several blocks. When the woman tried to take a picture of the man’s license plate, he became angry and got out of his vehicle. The woman drove immediately to the police station to report the incident.
The VPD says an officer tried to speak to the owner of the vehicle that the man reportedly drove, and those attempts “were unsuccessful.”
Photo via Vienna Police Department/Facebook
The U.S. Postal Service is offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two suspects following an armed robbery of a mail carrier in Groveton.
The incident occurred around 11:35 a.m. in the 6800 block of Deer Run Drive on March 7. According to the Fairfax County Police Department, a man approached a USPS employee, displayed a knife and “demanded property.”
A resident who appeared to talk with police said on a Nextdoor post suggested that mailbox keys were stolen. Michael Martel, a U.S. Postal Inspector Service spokesperson, didn’t address questions regarding details of the incident.
“The US Postal Inspection Service is working closely with our partners at the Fairfax County Police Department to investigate this incident,” Martel said in an email to FFXnow.
In another incident just minutes earlier in the 6000 block of Sandlin Court, a man approached another USPS employee and implied he had a weapon, police said.
The worker ran away without giving up any property. Authorities listed that incident as an attempted robbery.
“We believe the two incidents…are related, involving the same subjects,” Martel wrote, a belief that detectives also share.
The suspects were described as wearing black hooded sweatshirts and ski masks and were last seen fleeing east on North Kings Highway in the direction of I-495, USPS said.
They allegedly fled in a four-door, black sedan believed to be a 2015-2017 Hyundai Sonata.
The pair was described as 5 foot 7 inches to 5 foot 9 inches in height with thin builds and aged 18-25 and should be considered armed and dangerous, according to USPS.
People with information are encouraged to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455, say “law enforcement” on the audio prompt and reference case no. 3687960.
Brenda Dreesbach, president of the Deer Run Crossing Homeowners’ Association said yesterday (Tuesday) that the association has notified the neighborhood and suggested that all members of the community check their mailbox on a regular basis.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the USPS has changed locks for residents’ mailboxes. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service declined to answer various questions, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Woman Dies in Crash on I-495 — Virginia State Police are investigating a fatal crash on I-495 near the Eisenhower Avenue Connector in the Rose Hill area. The crash occurred at 9:27 p.m. on Saturday (March 5) when a sedan hit a disabled vehicle, causing it to catch fire. The driver of the disabled vehicle died at the scene, while the sedan driver suffered minor injuries and was arrested on multiple charges, including driving under the influence. [Virginia State Police, InsideNova]
Trial for McLean Murder Suspect Begins — “Fairfax County police quickly announced that what unfolded inside the large, yellow home in McLean in 2017 appeared to be a tragic murder-suicide…But after a 16-month investigation, police offered a stunning turnabout: what initially appeared to be a murder-suicide was allegedly a double killing. They claimed the scene had been carefully staged by the real perpetrator.” [The Washington Post]
I-66 to Close Overnight in Fairfax This Week — “All lanes of I-66 West approaching Route 50 will close nightly, March 9-12, to allow for installation of bridge beams for a new access ramp from the future westbound I-66 Express Lanes to Route 50 West as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.” [VDOT]
No Injuries Reported in Reston Shooting Incident — Police responded to the 2200 block of Castle Rock Square around 11:17 p.m. last Tuesday (March 1) after members of the Shadowood Condominium complex community reported hearing gunshots. Officers found damage to a buildings and numerous cartridge cases in the area. [Patch]
Lorton Pizza Restaurant Robbed — According to Fairfax County police, a man entered Antonelli’s Pizza (8212 Gunston Corner Lane) around 9:53 p.m. on March 1 and assaulted an employee. The man walked behind the counter, discharged a firearm, and took property before leaving. The employee was treated for injuries considered not life threatening. [FCPD]
Sheriff’s Office Expands Mental Health Services for Staff — “Dr. Grace Davidson, Licensed Professional Counselor, recently joined the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office under contract full-time to provide behavioral health services for the agency’s 550 employees and their families.” [Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office]
McLean Teacher Gives Art Class to Support Ukraine Relief — “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pamela Saunders has used art as a way to keep children engaged during virtual learning. Now she can use her platform as a way to show support for Ukraine after the Russian invasion.” [Patch]
Work Begins Today on New Lorton Playground — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin work on a new playground at Laurel Hill Central Green. Construction is scheduled to start the week of March 7 and is anticipated to be completed next month.” [FCPA/Twitter]
New Sidewalk Built to Park in Groveton — “The Telegraph Road Walkway project features more than half a mile of new sidewalk along the south side of Telegraph Road from 500 feet north of S. Kings Highway to the entrance of Lee District Park and Rose Hill Road. Watch the ribbon cutting ceremony.” [Fairfax TV Channel 16/Twitter]
It’s Monday — Showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 4 p.m. Today will have a high near 80 and low near 42. It will be breezy, with a southwest wind 11 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Sunrise was at 6:30 a.m. and sunset will be at 6:08 p.m. [weather.gov]
(Updated at 9 a.m. on 4/19/2023) A 62-year-old Maryland resident faces almost two decades in prison for a string of armed robberies that spanned the D.C. area last year, including three incidents in Fairfax County.
Jon Karl Mcree Fleet was sentenced to 17 years today (Tuesday) after pleading guilty to using a firearm in five robberies committed between Jan. 24 and March 13, 2021, Department of Justice prosecutors announced.
“At the time of the robberies, Fleet was a convicted felon, having previously been convicted for armed robberies, and was thus prohibited from possessing a firearm,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia said. “Fleet’s lengthy and violent criminal history qualifies him as a ‘Career Offender.’”
According to an affidavit from the investigating FBI agent, Fairfax County police first responded to an armed robbery report at the Macy’s in Springfield Town Center around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 24, 2021.
Surveillance footage showed the suspect displaying a gun to the clerk at the cash register. Approximately $300 was reported stolen.
Similar robberies were subsequently reported on:
- Feb. 11: McDonald’s (505 South Van Dorn Street) in the City of Alexandria
- Feb. 17: Exxon gas station (1276 Crain Highway South) in Crofton, Maryland
- Feb. 21: Subway (10428 Campus Way South) in Largo, Maryland
- Feb. 23: Papa John’s (5860 Columbia Pike) in Bailey’s Crossroads
- March 7: Marathon Gas Station (8405 Westphalia Road) in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
- March 13: Domino’s Pizza (8133 Watson Street) in Tysons
The affidavit says Fleet was identified using cell phone data and video surveillance footage that captured his vehicle, clothes, and the use of “a sawed-off shotgun with distinctive blue tape,” which was spotted in the Upper Marlboro and Tysons robberies.
Fleet was arrested by U.S. Marshals deputies in D.C. on April 21, 2021, and extradited on April 26 to Fairfax County, where he has been detained since then.
A federal grand jury indicted Fleet on Aug. 19, 2021, handing down 10 total charges, including multiple counts of robbery and use of a firearm in connection to a violent crime. He was also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
He had previously been convicted of armed robberies in Charles County and Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 2002.
Fleet ultimately entered a plea agreement on Oct. 19 where he admitted guilt to the use of a gun in the Bailey’s Crossroads and McLean robberies in exchange for getting the other charges dismissed. Federal prosecutors also agreed to not pursue cases against him for any involvement in the Crofton and Upper Marlboro robberies.
The 17-year prison sentence is the minimum term required by federal law.
The plea agreement also requires Fleet to pay back the McDonald’s, Macy’s, Subway, Papa John’s and Domino’s stores that were robbed. The restitution totals $1,501.95, with the largest amount of $500 going to Subway.
Photo via Google Maps
Fairfax County saw six more homicides in 2021 than in the previous year, the Fairfax County Police Department says, citing an unusually high number of adult children killing parents and other family members.
According to the department’s annual crime summary, Fairfax County police recorded 21 homicides last year compared to 15 in 2020.
Homicide detectives solved 16 of the 21 murders, but continue to pursue leads in the unsolved cases. That gives the FCPD a clearance rate of 76.2%, exceeding the national average of 61.4%. It was the first year since 2010 the county saw more than 20 homicides, according to FBI data.
Reston saw three homicides in 2021, including one in which a 24-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder after his father was found dead with stab wounds. A fatal shooting at an apartment complex on Winterthur Court in March remains unsolved.
In September, police arrested and charged a man with killing his father and burying him in the backyard of his house in the Culmore area. Police have not yet made an arrest in the killing of a 73-year-old man who was shot while using in ATM on Annandale Road.
Overall crime fell by 9.6% compared to 2020, driven by reductions in several categories:
- Robbery fell by 1%
- Domestic assaults fell by 4%
- Burglary fell by 11%
- Auto theft fell by 8%
- Larcenies from automobiles fell by 17%
“The national rise in violence touched every major urban center in 2021, including Fairfax County,” said Police Chief Kevin Davis, who is approaching one year on the job in May. “Despite this, we remain one of the safest jurisdictions of our size in the country because our patrol officers, detectives and professional staff work tirelessly for our victims and their families. As we look ahead, FCPD will continue to engage with our community on the important work of public safety.”
Last year, the FCPD implemented a program that requires all officers to patrol communities on foot for at least 30 minutes each shift, in the hopes they’ll interact with residents and business owners in areas where dispatchers receive the highest call volume.
The department also launched a tool that uses surveys linked to QR codes to solicit feedback from community members, and added trainings for use of force and peer intervention.
In 2022, the department plans to update its policy to require releasing body camera and in-vehicle camera footage for incidents involving police within 30 days. The policy is moving through a final approval process, the police department said.
This year, the FCPD is also pushing recruitment efforts with a revamped website because of staffing shortages, and has signed a pledge to increase female recruits to 30% by 2030.
Two store clerks were assaulted Sunday when two men attempted to rob the AT&T Store at 6471 Old Beulah Street in the Newington/Kingstowne area.
Howard Ludwig, Fairfax County police spokesman, said the two male suspects initially entered the store around 12:34 p.m. and inquired about some merchandise.
That is when one of them punched an employee and stabbed another. Ludwig said the pair had stuffed store merchandise into a bag, but during the melee, they left behind the bag.
Injuries, he said, do not appear to be life threatening.
Police are looking for the men who fled in a red car. Ludwig says police are studying surveillance video and hope to have a better suspect description later.
