Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!
The burglar even took off the collar the dog in the house was wearing for the invisible fence to get him out of the way (great watchdog).Fairfax County Police are "putting a lot of manpower" towards catching him, according to an email circulating through Oakton and McLean. It states:
He is what the police are calling "a professional burglar, a predator who is very disciplined and methodical and not timid". He enters the house only long enough to take a purse or wallet left in the open, in a kitchen or over a chair, and any jewelry that may be nearby. He takes only cash, no credit cards or ID's. He has not gone up to second floor bedrooms to look for these things. He just grabs and goes from the first floor, leaving the purses and the rest of their contents scattered on the properties as he makes his way.Police believe that the burglar, who apparently works alone, is a tall man of unknown ethnicity who almost certainly visits neighborhoods during the day to "study where he wants to go... possibly working around our houses, passing out pamphlets, etc."
Read the full text of the e-mail, with updated information from Fairfax police, in the comments.
Pt. 3 of the email:
ReplyDeleteSecond, police suggest that each homeowner turn on the usual lights when it
gets dark and then walk around your property, up your decks, completely
around the outside perimeter. Then see what you, and the burglar, can see.
Are your window shades up or curtains open, revealing which room is which,
giving him a layout of your house? Do you move from room to room in the same
pattern of turning off lights so he knows where the master bedroom is - the
last light you turn out before bedtime? Think about using lamp timers to
change your pattern. Think about motion sensor lights to startle him,
although the police said with as many deer as we have, that could become
annoying. Think about remote motion sensors on your property, on the
perimeter that are radio-connected so that you are alerted before someone is
at your door or window, although again, the deer make this hard.
Change your habits. Do not leave your purses or wallets in open view from a
window.
If you or someone in your household comes home late, drive a lap through the
neighborhood and report anything suspicious. The police said to think of it
as extra Neighborhood Watch.
If you see anyone suspicious in the daytime, call it in.
Call (703) 691-2131, the police non-emergency number for daytime suspicions.
If someone is in the act of trespass or breaking in, call 911. Do not call
the precinct - valuable time will be lost. Be factual and confident in your
phone call. Say the police have reported a burglar in the area and your are
calling to say there is someone distributing flyers, but perhaps not to
every house; or someone parked for a long period and not leaving his car; or
what seems to be a work truck, but doing no work; someone standing at a
corner, but not crossing, just hanging out, those kinds of things.
The police have heard the burglar may be riding a bike or on foot, and may
be wearing a backpack. He may appear to be jogging through the neighborhood,
but not dressed in athletic clothes. There is no police confirmation of
these observations as yet.
Twice now, residents have seen something odd, but not called it in until the
next morning, after a burglary has been committed.
Police will issue information about this burglar as they compile more
evidence. Neighborhood Watch leaders are urged to stay in contact with
Officer Lucas and make sure he has that person's valid email address and
they can issue all-neighborhood emails. Anyone is invited to stay in contact
with the police.
Pt. 2:
ReplyDelete*The burglaries began August 31 and continue into this week; so far 30-35 burglaries countywide and twice as many car larcenies. There is one man, not a ring of burglars. Although the man wears a mask, they do know it is a man, not a woman, but do not have a description beyond that at this time.
*These are all nighttime burglaries that occur between the hours of 10:45 PM to 4:30 AM.
*He is working neighborhood by neighborhood, currently targeting neighborhoods in McLean. He is definitely in the neighborhood during the day, casing the houses he wants to hit. He has hit in neighborhoods close to ours, and has returned to some neighborhoods twice.
*He is making our complacency about leaving doors, windows, garages and cars unlocked his opportunity, burglarizing as many as three homes a night and 6 cars, often in the same homes' driveways. He will stay in one neighborhood for nights on end, sometimes trying 15 houses or more in row. He has entered homes from all sides of the house.
*He has not forced entry into any home, although there is evidence that he has tried locked locks and tested armed homes to see if a house alarm is really set. He has hit homes with dogs, those that are well-lit as well as those that are not. He has come back to the same house he burglarized a second time.
He is what the police are calling "a professional burglar, a predator who is very disciplined and methodical and not timid". He enters the house only long enough to take a purse or wallet left in the open, in a kitchen or over a chair, and any jewelry that may be nearby. He takes only cash, no credit cards or ID's. He has not gone up to second floor bedrooms to look for these things. He just grabs and goes from the first floor, leaving the purses and the rest of their contents scattered on the properties as he makes his way.
What can we do? Deter, Detect, Delay and Deny his easy access and he will leave your house alone and move on to easier prey. First and foremost, lock every door and window. Lock cars left in driveways and take in the garage door opener - this is like leaving a key to your house lying in the driveway. Lock the door from your garage into your house.Teach your children these steps, especially any older children and adults that come home after you go to bed to do the same. The burglar has cut through screen to get to an open door. He also successfully pried open a french door by sliding something in between to pop the lock.
Pt. 1 of the e-mail:
ReplyDeletePt. 1
More information on the burglar sited in Great Falls and McLean in the past few weeks (provided by McLean police substation):
* We are dealing with a prolific, 'professional' burglar
* he usually hits between 10:30pm and 4:00am
* he is known to police, and has already hit Sully, Reston and Fair Oaks neighborhoods he is methodical in his approach, looking in homes/cars to see if purses/wallets are out as he wants cash
* he gains entry thru unlocked doors and windows, and has cut screens on porches if he thinks the next door is open; he has also broken car windows if he sees something in the car he wants
* he probably tries many doors that are locked until he finds houses that are open
* he is unusual in that he hits both homes and cars, is very methodical in his approach, and always take cash only and leaves the purse/wallet and credit cards
*they believe he is working alone, is a tall man of unknown ethnicity, wears a hooded sweatshirt, mask and gloves they believe he may be in our neighborhoods during the day to study where he wants to go - they are not sure how - possibly working around our houses, passing out pamphlets, etc..
*we probably would not expect this man to be the burglar if we saw him during the day
*he has hit the same neighborhoods twice, (same houses!), weeks apart so we need to stay vigilant
*they have photos/video of him but they are shadowy.
Police recommend:
*locking ALL house can car doors, windows if you have attached garage, lock interior door into house getting motion sensors and/or leaving outside lights on
*drawing your drapes at night
*bring your purse/wallet/garage door opener in from your car at night and do NOT leave them or cash in plain view from any window
*helping the police by watching for out of the ordinary activity - report suspicious individuals/behavior to the non-emergency number and be specific - 'We have had a rash of burglaries..." ; get license plate numbers if possible. 703/691-2131
The police said they very much wanted to catch him and are putting a lot of manpower towards it. They would not detail this effort so as not to tip him off if he was in the room (!) or known to someone in the room. They will release info to the press when they feel confident they have accurate info.
I don't think FCPD can spare manpower from their primary duty of shaking down commuters for traffic fines. I went through 3 (a new record) speed traps in one day during my 6-mile commute.
ReplyDeleteBudget constraints you know.
Restonian! How is there no report of last week's open house at the magnificent new RA headquarters? That would have been the perfect opportunity to do an exposé on the (awesome) child labor cubbies!
ReplyDelete