Police: Robberies Up, Accidents Down in Reston

In his semiannnual "State of Reston" crime report, Fairfax County Police Lt. TJ Rodgers told the Reston Association that there has been a rise in street robberies when compared to this time last year.

The good news, most of the perpetrators have been caught, he said at Thursday's RA board meeting.

"There were 12 by this time last year," he said. "So far this year we have had 20. Most have been around Lake Anne and Hunters Woods. The majority have been late at night, between 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. There were two last week at 4 a.m."

Rodgers said there have been arrests of suspects in both the Lake Anne and Hunters Woods incidents, so those have stopped. Eleven of the cases have been closed.

Other midyear crime stats:

* Two commercial robberies compared with one at this time last year. Reston. The robberies occurred on the same day, in mid-afternoon at Fox Mill Shopping Center. At the second location, the suspect "pointed out his gun was fake and got away with nothing," said Rodgers.

*  Car break-ins and bike thefts continue to be a problem. Rodgers says "99 percent of the time when care are broken into, the car was unlocked." Most bicycles are stolen from unlocked garages too, so he reminds residents to lock up.

* There have been 32 residential burglaries, 20 of which have been closed. 

* The bike trails continue to be an area of concern.

"Most problems are centered around a very small portion the trails," said Rodgers.

He reports that there were two incidents of a man exposing himself on the trails this spring. Those cases, which occurred in early afternoon, remain open. There was also a report of two children seeing a man with a gun near Dogwood Elementary School in April.

"We have stepped up bike patrols and foot patrols," said Rodgers.

* Graffiti is still an issue. The police have a robust plan to remove it, so they encourage citizens to report it quickly so it can be removed immediately.

* Accidents are down - there were 335 at this time last year compared with 310 so far  in 2011. That includes one bicycle accident and three pedestrian accidents.

* Community initiatives - In the recent "50 Means 50" campaign, the Reston District Station wrote more than 600 tickets - more than any other station - in a two-week period.

Police will be concentrating on underage drinking this summer, targeting enforcement in several areas: sales at stores and bars; people who are buying; and plainclothes officers checking parks and other places at night.

An April pedestrian safety campaign issued 300 warning tickets to pedestrians for jaywalking and other offenses.

* Groundbreaking for a new Reston District Station is scheduled to take place late in 2012.