Alexandria Police are investigating more than $40,000 in car parts stolen from BMW of Alexandria in the Landmark Mall parking garage.
On Jan. 17, the sales manager for BMW of Alexandria (499 S. Pickett St.) told police that 10 BMW M-Series sedans and sport utility vehicles stored at the property had been stripped of their wheels and put on concrete blocks. The passenger side front windows were smashed and the lug bolt locks were taken from the glove compartments.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a robbery that occurred at the Speedway gas station at 4808 King Street over the weekend.
At around 9 p.m. Saturday, a man walked into the gas station and brandished a handgun, before fleeing on foot. No one was injured in the incident.
Alexandria Man Killed in Southern Va. — “A man and a woman from the Washington area were found dead Saturday on a road in a quiet part of southern Virginia, and state police said the two were homicide victims. Ntombo Joel Bianda, 21, of Alexandria, Va., and Ayanna Munne Maertens Griffin, 19, of Germantown, Md., were found at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday.” [Washington Post, WSET]
APD Crosswalk Enforcement in Del Ray — “APD’s Traffic Safety Officers successfully completed a crosswalk enforcement operation in the 400 block of E. Monroe Ave. today. This resulted in 23 citations being issued in 4 hours.” [Twitter]
City Offers Free Tax Prep — “The City of Alexandria is offering free tax preparation to qualifying residents. Taxpayers are eligible if their income is below approximately $35,000 for individuals and $55,000 for families. Expert volunteers from Community Tax Aid, Inc. will ensure that taxpayers apply for all applicable credits and deductions — especially the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, which people often don’t realize they are eligible to receive.” [City of Alexandria]
More on King Street Pedestrian-Only Zone — “The pilot program is an opportunity to prioritize pedestrians while providing opportunities for the city to move towards urbanist goals like decreasing reliance on cars. It’s not the first time part of King Street was pedestrian-only. The idea was inspired in part by a previous effort, in 2006. Back then, the pilot program did not gain much traction as a permanent idea, though it was very popular with residents.” [Greater Greater Washington]
A former employee of Alexandria’s Dept. of Transportation and Environmental Services has been charged with embezzling from the city.
In a press release Thursday afternoon, police said the employee sold more than $10,000 worth of electrical cable owned by T&ES to scrap dealers.
An athletic pursuit is leading to some hazmat calls around Alexandria.
The Alexandria Fire Department responded Tuesday afternoon to investigate a white powder discovered along the 800 block of Duke Street in Old Town, according to AFD spokeswoman Raytevia Evans.
(Updated at 9 a.m.) There are no reported victims of a Tuesday afternoon shooting in a parking lot in the Landmark area, according to Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown.
“It appears that nobody was hit,” Brown told ALXnow on Tuesday night. “There may be a vehicle involved, but we’re still investigating,”
An 89-year-old Alexandria artist was killed Sunday after being struck by a vehicle while walking across the Duke Street near Cameron Station Blvd.
“Initial investigation indicates Mr. Alfredo DaSilva, a 89-year-old Alexandria city resident, was crossing Duke Street when he was struck by a motor vehicle,” Alexandria police said in a statement. Mr. DaSilva succumbed to his injuries at the scene.”
Suggestion of Affordable Housing at School Sets Listserv Ablaze — “A contractor for Alexandria’s public schools set off an online firestorm by accidentally including a rendering of an apartment building with affordable units in a presentation about modernization plans for an elementary school… the mistake occasioned a ‘3 day+ rager‘ about affordable housing, racism, and–because this is Alexandria–dockless scooters, the halal chicken slaughterhouse, and a ‘road diet’ imposed on a different leafy neighborhood.” [Washingtonian]
Pushback on (Actual) Affordable Housing at School Proposal — “Members of the MacArthur Advisory Committee and the community were left scrambling last week after the city indicated it would be exploring affordable housing on the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School site. The announcement that the city would not only be exploring co-location options, but also providing funding to Alexandria City Public Schools for an architectural exploration of potential housing options, surprised members of the advisory committee.” [Alexandria Times]
Aggravated assaults have increased every year for the last three years in Alexandria, and Police Chief Michael L. Brown said that his department is working on methods to reverse the trend.
“Some of these are happening behind the doors of residences in the city, and we’re trying to get a better understanding of that,” Brown told ALXnow. “We’re working with the Department of Community and Human Services to see what we can do to come up with a program that aligns city services with the need of individuals so that they don’t have to call 911 and we can do something else beforehand.”
Alexandria’s finest were recognized by the City Council last week. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Alexandria Police Department, and Mayor Justin Wilson honored the department with a city proclamation in council chambers.
“The most important role of local government is to protect public safety, and we are fortunate that the residents of the city are able to rely 24/7 on the best police department on the planet, the Alexandria Police Department,” Wilson said. “Every day you confront danger so our residents do not have to. You keep our residents safe, and you do it with a smile and incredible customer service.”
