Crime Update: Most Crime Down, Office Burglaries Continue
Police thought they stopped a spike in office burglaries when they arrested a D.C. man who officers allege stole laptops and cash by following after-hours cleaning crews and prying open doors with a flathead screwdriver.
But office burglaries continue in the Bethesda area, according to 2nd District Police Commander Capt. David Falcinelli. On Monday, he told a local citizens advisory board officers suspect the man they arrested in May, 29-year-old Andre Antonio Henry, had somebody else working with him.
Henry allegedly broke into 12 offices in White Flint and downtown Bethesda, according to a police press release following his arrest in Prince George’s County. That played a role in the 46 reported commercial office burglaries through April in the 2nd Police District, up 28 from the same period of time last year.
Falcinelli said most every other major crime category is down in the 2nd District compared to the same period of time last year, including robbery (down 20 percent), aggravated assault (down 20 percent), residential burglaries (down 23 percent) and stolen vehicles. Thefts from vehicles is up by about one percent, Faclinelli said.
Falcinelli also reported that officers hope to do a pedestrian safety sting in July in Friendship Heights. In a sting in May on Democracy Boulevard near Walter Johnson High School, police issued 56 citations to drivers who failed to stop for a plainclothes officers crossing a crosswalk.
Police also took a more unconventional method in dealing with a 16-year-old Walter Johnson student who Faclinelli said was part of a group of kids who went on a crime spree involving thefts from cars, robberies and burglaries. The kid’s father, a Kenyan diplomat, had his immunity revoked and he returned to Kenya after Montgomery County Police contacted the U.S. State Department.
Falcinelli said the 16-year-old stole somebody’s iPhone the day before he left the country.
Weekly Crime Report: May 26 to June 4
Montgomery County Police arrested a D.C. man for a home break-in on May 31 in Chevy Chase:
A residential burglary occurred in the 6800 block of Brookville Road in Chevy Chase on Friday, 5/31 at approximately 3:30 a.m.
Arrested: Male, age 35
But two other burglaries and a string of thefts from cars in the same beat remain remain unsolved:
A residential burglary occurred on Tuesday, 5/28 in the 1700 block of East West Highway in Bethesda sometime between midnight and 7:30 a.m. Forced entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 3500 block of Cummings Lane in Chevy Chase sometime between 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, 5/30 and 5:30 a.m. on Friday, 5/31. Unknown entry; property taken.
Four thefts from vehicles occurred overnight between Monday, 5/27 and Tuesday, 5/28 in residential driveways in the Village of Chevy Chase; cash and other small valuables were reported taken.
The rest of the most recent 2nd District crime summary is after the jump.
Boloco Releases Video Of Bethesda Break-In
Someone burglarized the Boloco on Bethesda Row a few weeks ago and the fast casual burrito and smoothie chain is looking for help finding the suspect.
The Boston-based company, known for its creative use of social media, released the above surveillance camera footage of the burglar with annotations.
“Wow…nice guess on that safe code,” reads one. “Sweet hat,” reads another.
The burglary happened at 2:50 a.m. on May 27. Boloco opened last July at 4930 Elm St.
The video shows the burglar crawling under a shelf and moving a small cabinet to open the store’s safe and steal an unspecified amount of cash. The burglar wasn’t as lucky with the drawers in the front of the restaurant. There was no money there.
At 3:15 a.m., almost a half hour after the burglary started, the suspect leaves through the front door on Elm Street.
Boloco is asking anyone with information to email buzz@boloco.com.
Weekly Crime Report: May 20 to May 28
Home break-ins, including a spate of three in one Kensington neighborhood, lead off the latest weekly crime summary from Montgomery County Police:
A residential burglary occurred in the 4500 block of Everett Street in Kensington on Wednesday, 5/22 between 7:15 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Forced entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 10200 block of Parkwood Drive in Kensington on Wednesday, 5/22 between 6:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. No forced entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 10200 block of Parkwood Drive in Kensington on Wednesday, 5/22 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. No forced entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred on Tuesday, 5/28 in the 1700 block of East West Highway in Bethesda sometime between midnight and 7:30 a.m. Forced entry; property taken.
Police are also looking into a burglary at Boloco on Bethesda Row, a vehicle theft on Battery Lane and a series of thefts from vehicles in surrounding neighborhoods:
A commercial burglary occurred at Boloco, 4930 Elm Street in Bethesda on Monday, 5/27 at approximate 9:00 a.m. No further details are available at this time.
A stolen vehicle occurred in the 4900 block of Battery Lane in Bethesda on Thursday, 5/23 between 4:00 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.
Four thefts from vehicles occurred during the overnight hours on several nights during this time period. The four incidents (involving five vehicles) were reported in residential neighborhoods in Bethesda; mostly those bordering DC (Chevy Chase Boulevard, Bradley Boulevard, Bayard Boulevard, and Worthington Drive.) One vehicle was found with forced entry, the rest had all been left unsecured. Vehicles were searched and loose valuables (cash, GPS, glasses etc.) were taken.
Four thefts from vehicles occurred overnight in Bethesda from Wednesday, 5/22 to Thursday, 5/23. The incidents occurred in residential neighborhoods in Oakmont (two on Southwick Street, one on Sonoma Road, and one on Singleton Drive.) Three vehicles were entered by force, and one vehicle had been left unsecured. Vehicles were searched and any loose valuables (cash, GPS, glasses etc.) were taken.
Police Looking For Third Suspect In Bizarre ‘Moorish Nation’ Break-In
Montgomery County Police are looking for a third suspect in the bizarre break-in at an empty Bethesda mansion earlier this year. Today, police released photos of the unidentified man apparently taking photos of himself inside the home.
Police have already charged Lamont Butler, 29, of Waldorf and his girlfriend, Sakita Shanik Holly, 34, with first-degree burglary. Police say they arrived to the home, in the 7000 block of Natelli Woods Lane, on Jan. 5 for the call of a burglary in progress and arrested Butler and Holly.
Butler claimed the vacant property belonged to “his people and his tribe,” and that he was a Moorish American National who owned the mansion based on a 1787 peace treaty and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
Butler and Holly have a trial date scheduled for Sept. 17.
Now, police say they have obtained photographs of a third suspect involved in the burglary taken from inside the home. Officer Rebecca Innocenti, a police spokesperson, said investigators won’t say where the photos were obtained or how they were taken, but the man appears to be taking the photos with his own camera phone, smiling for the photo in the process.
Investigators are asking anyone who can identify this suspect to please call the Vice and Intelligence Unit at 240-773-5958. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or leave a Crime Solvers tip here. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment for this felony
Photos via MCP
Weekly Crime Report: May 13 to May 22
The most recent 2nd District crime summary includes a number of burglaries at homes and commercial buildings across the area:
A commercial burglary occurred at 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda sometime overnight between Tuesday, 5/14 and Wednesday, 5/15. Unknown entry; property taken.
A commercial burglary occurred at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda sometime overnight between Monday, 5/20 and Tuesday, 5/21. Attempted forced entry; nothing taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 4200 block of East West Highway, Bethesda on Monday, 5/13 between 9:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. No forced entry; property taken.
An attempted residential burglary occurred in the 10800 block of Hobson Street, Kensington on Friday, 5/14 between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Attempted forced entry; nothing taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 10800 block of Hobson Street, Kensington between 7:40 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Forced entry; property taken.
An attempted residential burglary occurred in the 9400 block of Rockville Pike, Bethesda on Monday, 5/20 between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Attempted forced entry; nothing taken.
A vehicle-related theft occurred in the 9600 block of Hawick Lane, Kensington on Friday, 5/17 at approximately 1:30 p.m. No forced entry; a cell phone was taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 4400 block of Willard Avenue, Bethesda sometime between Wednesday, 5/15 and Friday, 5/17. No forced entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 7000 block of Heatherhill Road, Bethesda sometime between Sunday, 5/19 and Monday, 5/20. Forced entry; nothing taken.
Weekly Crime Report: May 6 to May 14
A recent Friday night snatch and grab near White Flint Mall leads off this week’s weekly crime summary:
A snatch & grab incident occurred in the 11300 block of Rockville Pike, Kensington on Friday, 5/10 at 10:00 p.m. The suspect forcefully removed property from the victim.
Suspect: B/M, 6’, thin, short hair.
And police are also looking into a commercial burglary on East-West Highway:
A commercial burglary occurred at 4302 East West Highway, Bethesda sometime over the weekend from Friday, 5/10 to Sunday, 5/12. Forced entry; nothing taken.
The rest of the most recent 2nd District crime summary includes five residential burglaries:
A residential burglary occurred in the 4200 block of East West Highway, Bethesda on Monday, 5/13 at approximately 5:15 p.m. No further details available at this time.
Two residential burglaries occurred on Tuesday, 5/14 in the 10800 block of Hobson Street, Kensington:
Between 7:40 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Forced entry; property taken.
Between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Attempted forced entry; nothing taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 5100 block of Cape Cod Court, Bethesda on Monday, 5/13 at 2:45 p.m. Forced entry; unknown what was taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 5100 block of Brookview Drive, Bethesda sometime between Monday, 5/6 and Thursday, 5/9. No forced entry; property taken.
Weekly Crime Report: April 29 to May 7
Police made three arrests in two late-April residential burglary cases:
A residential burglary occurred in the 4600 block of Windsor Lane, Bethesda on Tuesday, 4/30 at approximately 4:30 a.m. Unforced entry; nothing taken.
Arrested: Male, age 31, from Washington, DC
A residential burglary occurred in the 10000 block of Sinnott Court, Bethesda on Tuesday, 4/30. Unknown entry; unknown what was taken.
Arrested: Male, age 33, from Silver Spring; Male, age 20, from Silver Spring.
The rest of the most recent 2nd District crime summary is after the jump.
Police Detail Office Burglary Arrest
Montgomery County Police today said they arrested a D.C. man for 10 second degree burglaries and other charges stemming from a string of office burglaries this year in downtown Bethesda and White Flint.
Andre Antonio Henry, 29, of the 400 block of 50th Street NE was arrested last week for a rash of burglaries police say he committed between January 28 and April 15. Police said they used surveillance video from several of the burglaries to determine all had been committed by the same suspect. Witnesses provided a description of the suspect police said matched the man seen in the video.
Police believe Henry forced his way into the offices using a flathead screwdriver before stealing electronics and other property. Police said Henry stole a credit card during one burglary and used it to buy items.
The alleged one-man crime spree played a part in 46 reported commercial office burglaries though April in the 2nd District, compared to 18 during the same stretch of time in 2012, according to 2nd District Police statistics. That’s a 155 percent spike in that category.
Police arrested Henry on May 9 in Prince George’s County without incident. He is currently being held on a $50,000 bond. He’s been charged with second-degree burglary or attempted second-degree burglary at the following properties:
- National Brokerage Associates, 11140 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville
- WRIT, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 800, Rockville
- Express Title Company, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 300, Rockville
- Hariton Mancuso Jones PC Office, 11140 Rockville Pike, Suite 340, Rockville
- Market Research.com, 11200 Rockville Pike, Suite 504, Rockville
- Dragon Bridge, 11200 Rockville Pike, Suite 205, Rockville
- Snyder Cohn, 11200 Rockville Pike, Suite 415, Rockville
- Spree, 7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 510, Bethesda
- Design to Delivery, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300 Bethesda
- Councilor Buchanan& Mitchell, PC, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 500, Bethesda
- Information Management Services, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 310, Rockville
- Zeno, 710 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 450, Bethesda
Photo via Montgomery County Police
Bethesda Crime Update: Burglary Arrest, Jewelry Thefts, Pedestrian Safety
Bethesda 2nd District Police Commander Capt. David Falcinelli said police arrested a suspect they believe is responsible for most of the rash of commercial office burglaries in downtown Bethesda and White Flint this year.
Falcinelli said police arrested the suspect on Thursday and he is believed to be responsible for similar burglaries in D.C.
The 2nd District has seen a huge spike in commercial burglaries through April of this year compared to the year-to-date numbers last year. In stats Falcinelli released on Thursday, police have reported 46 commercial office burglaries, compared to 18 during the same stretch of time in 2012.
Crime in all other listed categories — robbery, aggravated assault, residential burglary, theft from vehicles and stolen vehicles — are down compared to last year, though Falcinelli cautioned that the 2nd District has seen a spike in residential burglaries in May.
“Many of these burglaries are occurring during daytime hours and they are taking high-end jewelry. In at least one case, power has been cut to the house prior to making entry,” Falcinelli said.
Falcinelli also said a recent pedestrian safety campaign along Wisconsin Avenue and near Bethesda Elementary School on Arlington Road resulted in 175 citations for various violations. Police also ran a pedestrian crosswalk sting operation on Thursday on Democracy Boulevard in which they issued 56 citations to drivers who failed to stop for a plainclothes officers crossing a crosswalk.
There were eight pedestrian-vehicle collisions in April in the 2nd District, Falcinelli said. Police have determined the driver was at-fault in four of those incidents and the pedestrian was at-fault in three. The other one remains under investigation.
“Traffic is bad enough without further clogging up the roads with unnecessary collisions,” Falcinelli said. “Focus on your driving and walking. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.”
Chart via Montgomery County Police
Weekly Crime Report: April 8 to April 16
There are only three reported crimes in the most recent Bethesda District crime summary, including another White Flint area office burglary:
A commercial office burglary occurred at 6101 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda overnight from Monday, 4/8 to Tuesday, 4/9. Unknown means of entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 6200 block of MacArthur Boulevard, Bethesda on Saturday, 4/13 between noon and 12:40 p.m. Unforced entry; property taken.
A residential burglary occurred in the 5700 block of Kingswood Road, Bethesda on Tuesday, 4/16 between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Forced entry; property taken.
Weekly Crime Report: April 1 to April 9
County Police are dealing with a new batch of commercial burglaries in the North Bethesda/White Flint area, a week after the 2nd District Police Commander identified the burglaries as the biggest problem his officers are facing this year:
A commercial burglary occurred at the DryClean Expo, 11130 Rockville Pike, Rockville on Thursday, 4/4 at 5:00 a.m. Forced entry; nothing taken.
A commercial office burglary occurred at 11140 Rockville Pike, Rockville on Friday, 4/5 between 6:45 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. Forced entry; nothing taken.
Several commercial office burglaries occurred at 6110 Executive Boulevard, North Bethesda on Thursday, 4/4 between 5:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Forced entry; property taken.
The rest of the most recent weekly crime summary is after the jump.
UPDATED: Bradley Boulevard Break-In Has Tenants Concerned
UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Residents at the Aldon of Chevy Chase Apartments are concerned a break-in on Monday night at the complex’s management office may put their security at risk.
Timothy Cole, a spokesman for Aldon Management, said management is in the process of changing locks to the main entrances of the building and to individual units as a precaution.
Montgomery County Police confirmed an office burglary at the 4740 Bradley Blvd. address of the office on Monday at approximately 11:05 p.m. Nobody has been arrested and not many other details are known at this time.
A resident of the apartments, mid-rise brick buildings just south of Bethesda’s Central Business District, said management was re-keying doors on Thursday and that residents were concerned that master keys were accessed or stolen from the office.
The tipster also said computers were stolen, which has left tenants scared that personal information has been compromised.
Cole said Aldon Management doesn’t believe there was any personal information stolen in the break-in.
Weekly Crime Report: Feb. 25 to March 5
Police say two overnight commercial burglaries on either Wednesday, Feb. 27 or Thursday, Feb. 28 in downtown Bethesda are probably related:
At 7315 Wisconsin Avenue. Forced entry; property taken.
At 7201 Wisconsin Avenue. Forced entry; property taken.
Last week, police released surveillance photos of a commercial burglary suspect from January in North Bethesda.
The rest of the most recent Bethesda District crime summary follows the jump.
Police Release Images Of North Bethesda Burglary Suspect
Police say the suspect pictured above forcefully entered a Rockville Pike office after dark and stole electronics and cash.
The man entered an office suite in a building in the 11100 block of Rockville Pike during the overnight hours of January 28 and January 29, police said, before forcing open the door of a secured office and stealing the items.
The photos police released today came from the security system at the office.
Detectives are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect or who has information about the commercial burglary to call 301-657-0112 or contact Crime Solvers with an anonymous tip. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest for this crime.
Photos via MCP
