Captain Michelle Nuneville, Commander of the 3rd Police District, provides this monthly report via email. You can request that your address be added to the list by emailing her at Mnuneville@arlingtonva.us, or read it on the Barcroft Chat List.

From: Captain Michelle Nuneville

Hello Everyone:

January continued to be a busy month for robberies along the west end of Columbia Pike. The District team, along with Homicide Robbery detectives, have been busy investigating these incidents. The District team has been providing extra patrols in this area with the hopes of catching the suspects. During the middle of the month, several vehicles had their tires slashed in the Columbia Heights area as well as along Columbia Pike (3000 block). We have not seen anymore activity of this type in the last two weeks.

We also saw an increase in graffiti-related incidents; mostly "tagging" to buildings, fences and other public/private property. This type of graffiti has no significance to gangs but simply painted words. The department’s Gang Unit has been following up on these cases. I realize that the graffiti is not being removed as quickly as it should be so I ask for your patience as we work with the County in getting the graffiti removed as quickly as possible. There have been other areas within the county that has also seen an increase in graffiti so the County resources are stretched thin at this time. District 3 team members have been trying their best to remove as much graffiti as they can from county signs/property. They are also notifying property owners to have graffiti removed as quickly as possible. Please contact me if you see graffiti that has been there for longer than two weeks so that I can follow up on it.

The last item of significant important to District 3 is the attached media release. We are trying to identify a dark-skinned male responsible for attacking two women near the Barcroft Sports Complex. If anyone notices anything suspicious in this area, please notify the police immediately. Both victims were walking alone during the evening/nighttime hours. Please be cautious and do not walk alone after dark. For those living in the Claremont and Douglas Park areas, you will most likely see extra police presence in this area, looking for additional evidence of these crimes.

Crime Tip on Personal Safety – Walk with confidence and an assertive attitude. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. If you walk with someone at dusk or early evening, wear light colored clothing or apply some reflective stickers to your clothing. Stay Safe.

Captain Michelle R. Nuneville - Commander
Arlington County Police Department
Operations Division - District 3
1425 N. Courthouse Road
Arlington, VA 22201
703-228-4097
mnuneville@arlingtonva.us

The suspect is described as a dark-skinned male, approximately 35 years old, 5’9” tall, 160 lbs with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark blue winter jacket and white gloves.

Detectives are looking into the possibility this attack is related to at least one other recent incident. On Thursday, January 11, 2007, a 27-year-old woman, walking in the 4200 block of the South Four Mile Run Drive service road, was grabbed from behind by a man who threatened her with a knife. The man forced the woman to walk to a nearby grassy area where he sexually assaulted her.

Anyone with any information about these cases is asked to contact Detective Jim Stone at (703) 228-4245.

This page was revised on: January 12, 2007.