Fairfax County Serial Burglar Doesn't Appear to be in Burke

A serial burglar active in western Fairfax County who is believed to have been associated with up to 87 incidents as of September 30 looks to have kept away from the Burke area so far.

West Springfield Crime Prevention Officer JT Frey said at the Oct. 5 Neighborhood Citizens' Advisory Committee meeting that there was only one case in Springfield which they think may have been associated with this same burglar. He emphasized that residents should take steps to secure their homes using common sense methods.

"Our job is to spread the message that if we don't want to be a victim, don't give them in the opportunity," Frey said.

Captain Bruce Ferguson, the Commander of the West Springfield Police District Station, said, "We're out looking for this guy and doing everything we can to find him. He's very slick- and a lot of times he's not using a lot of force to get into your home."

Frey and Ferguson pointed out that this burglar was usually breaking into homes with their doors or garage doors unlocked and taking what valuables were closest. In at least one case, he left quickly without taking anything after entering the home, as the owners had taken their purse and wallet upstairs with them.

"If you're leaving your door unlocked, shame on you," Ferguson said. "If you want to feel secure in Fairfax county, well, you should be able to do a lot of things – I should be able to throw a hundred dollar bill out on my lawn and get it in the morning – but that's not going to happen."

Ferguson encouraged residents with house alarms to actually use them instead of fearing they might disturb their neighbors or the police.

"I would much rather respond to [false alarms] than have this guy hit our area with 20, 30 burglaries," Ferguson said. He pointed out that the West Springfield Police District is a target-rich environment, with lots of homes and lots of dark streets.

CAC chariman Phil Panzarella told his own story about petty crime. At one point, he left his garage door open for a few minutes while he was working elsewhere in his house. When he walked out to the garage, he found that someone had opened his refrigerator door and stolen his beer. Panzarella said he now works to keep his garage door closed.

The police, along with several of the attendees, made suggestions on how to avoid being a victim of burglary. Ferguson emphasized, "We want to make sure its as uninviting as possible [to the burglar.]"

• The simplest thing to do is lock your house and car doors and keep your garage door closed.
• Be sure to keep your car locked and bring valuables inside from your vehicle.
• Take your purse or wallet into your bedroom with you at night. Don't leave your handbag out in plain sight.
• The serial burglar is noted for liking darkness and avoiding areas that are brightly lit. If you are concerned your street lights aren't bright enough to keep the burglars away, consider leaving a few lights on in your house or talking to your homeowners' association about getting improved lighting in the area.
• If you have a house alarm, use it and keep it turned on.
• Ferguson said that dogs are good, as burglars will avoid houses with loud pets for fear of discovery. One meeting attendee jokingly suggested putting a dog dish with the name "Killer" on it out in his house, an idea the police approved.