Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The 24 incidents are currently classified as simple assaults.
After giving a General Assembly update to the Springfield Civic Association last month, Del. Vivian Watts (D-39th) listened to a discussion at the meeting about the serial groper. Upon hearing that police are classifying the incidents as simple assaults and not sexual assaults, she is now asking questions. Watts has written a letter to Franconia District Police Station commander, Captain Jim Baumstark, after hearing him speak at the meeting about the string of 24 Springfield assaults, which date from September to late March. Baumstark referred to the series of incidents as "simple assaults," as he and other police have mentioned previously. At the community meeting in March, Baumstark said after getting clarification with the state, they …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A woman reportedly was grabbed Thursday afternoon in Kingstowne Towne Center. Police suspect the incident to be connected to previous serial groper incidents.
Fairfax County Police responded to a possible 24th report in the series of Springfield assaults around 3 p.m. Thursday, after a 31-year-old woman was assaulted by a man in the 5900 block of Kingstowne Towne Center. According to Public Information Officer Lucy Caldwell, the victim said she was followed by the man into the Home Goods store, which Caldwell said is distinctly different from the 23 incidents reported in the past six months where the victim were approached from behind on a public street. The man grabbed the victim then fled, according to police. Other shoppers attempted to help, but the man still got away from the area, Caldwell said Thursday afternoon. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 30s. At the time of the …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Fairfax County Police reviewed the case Thursday night involving a serial groper stalking residents in Springfield in 22 incidents since September. Police answered questions from a room filled with about 250 residents at a town hall-type meeting.
Approximately 250 Springfield residents packed a Fairfax County Police community meeting Thursday night to discuss their concerns about a series of assaults — likely 22 in all — by a man dubbed "the serial groper," that have occurred throughout the Springfield area since September. FCPD scheduled the meeting to update residents on the case and answer questions from concerned citizens. Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay was in attendance and said he fully supports FCPD efforts to catch the suspect, who has been involved in a reported 22 incidents in the Greater Springfield area since September 2012. McKay said he was glad to see the turnout at the meeting and said that together, everyone will help FCPD catch the suspect. Watch video of …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
A woman was groped Tuesday evening on Franconia Court.
The Fairfax County Police Department is currently investigating another incident that may be related to the series of assaults that have been happening mainly in the Springfield area since early September 2012. In the latest incident, a 32-year-old woman reported that a man grabbed her from behind around 7 p.m. Tuesday while she was placing luggage into the trunk of her car in the 6400 block of Franconia Court, according to a FCPD news release. When the victim turned around, the man fled. The woman described the suspect as a white male, between 20 and 30 years old and around 5 feet 10 inches tall. He wore a white T-shirt, blue jeans and a white ball cap. Police say this may be the 22nd incident in the area connected to this suspect. …
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
FCPD have arrested Herbert Reyes-Cartagena and Alexander Chase and charged them with destruction of property.
The Fairfax County Police Department have arrested two men for incidents involving vehicle shootings. FCPD has charged Herbert Reyes-Cartagena, 18, and Alexander Chase, 19, with destruction of property and shooting a missile at an occupied dwelling and an occupied vehicle, according to a recent news release. The two Arlington residents were arrested in connection with vehicles shot in the Newington Forest and Terra Grande neighborhoods in late 2012 after FCPD received numerous tips from the public. During the investigation, more victims came forward and police linked the suspects to an air rifle shooting into a home in the 8000 block of Parklane Court just before midnight Nov. 28. They also linked Reyes-Cartagena and Chase to shooting into…
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Financial Crimes Unit is aware of at least a dozen incidents that have taken place since Jan. 10.
FCPD has received many reports from residents nationwide involving a phony inheritance proclamation, according to a recent news release. These types of scams usually arrive in the form of an email announcing that the recipient has a multi-million dollar inheritance but must contact an FCPD police investigator to receive the funds. Currently, the scammers are using official email, phone numbers, and street addresses to appear more legitimate and convincing to victims and identifying themselves as authentic FCPD personnel. Detectives with the Financial Crimes Unit warn residents that due to the potential international origin of this scam, there may be very little that can be done to reclaim funds that have already been wired. FCPD advises …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Fairfax County Police responded to a report Friday morning of a shooting in a West Springfield neighborhood that turned out to be false.
Police activity in West Springfield Friday had school officials on alert at a local high school. Fairfax County Police responded to a 911 call at around 9 a.m. Friday, of a person who was shot in West Springfield, but police investigated the area where it was reported and came up empty-handed. "Sometimes people call things in and they think they see things. There was nothing," said Fairfax County Police spokesperson Lucy Caldwell. The call prompted a "Secure the Building" alert at nearby West Springfield High School. "The school was briefly in 'Secure the Building' status because of police activity in the area," said John Torre, spokesman for Fairfax County Public Schools, in an email to Patch. A "Secure the Building" alert means that …
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Police say there is no threat, it's just for reassurance in wake of Connecticut shootings.
When children return to school on Monday, families should expect to see an increased police presence, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. The move is a reaction to Friday's shootings at an elementary school in Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 schoolchildren and six teachers, according to police. The gunman also killed his mother at her nearby home. The following was posted by FCPD on its Facebook page on Sunday: As children return to school tomorrow, you will see an increased police presence at and around schools in the county. We want the community to know this is being done as a reassurance for parents, teachers and students and NOT because there is any threat. It is a result of the shooting in Newtown, CT. For …
Nina
6:17 pm on Friday, March 29, 2013
They should have a picture of him now that he was in the store. It's getting warmer and we need to be able to go out without having to watch our back so closely- literally. more ›