Amid rising crime in Washington, D.C., where local leaders shift blame rather than seeking viable solutions, larceny has spread to the suburbs with authorities seeking suspects responsible for making off with $20,000 worth of merchandise.

On April 19 officers from the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) responded to the scene of a smash-and-grab at an eyewear retailer. My Eye Dr in Alexandria, VA had more than $20,000 worth of eyeglass frames pilfered from the store after four suspects smashed through display cases and fled the scene in the car of a fifth suspect who had been waiting outside.

FCPD Capt. Frederick Chambers, Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, issued a statement accompanying the press release with details on the suspects and said, “Detectives are following up on leads and are aware of similar incidents throughout the National Capital Region.”

“Detectives continue to work with our law enforcement partners in the region to identify the suspects involved in this incident and are closely examining others that fit this same troubling pattern,” Chambers went on. “We are asking for information from our community and reminding them they can remain anonymous through our Crime Solvers tip line.”

New video of the latest smash and grab at an eye glasses store.
This one at the MrEyeDr in Alexandria. Employees say they were after the high-end brands – $20,000 lost in products and damage. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/o2Jx4hR1qA

— Casey Nolen (@CaseyNolen) May 6, 2022

The suspects were informed that “The cops are on the way” by one of the bystanders filming the smash-and-grab “wearing gloves, masks, and hoods or hats to cover their hair.” They were described as “four black males, 17 to 23 years old.”

While the fifth suspect in the getaway vehicle was only described as being a male, the car was said to be an “older-model black Toyota Camry with tinted windows and black hubcaps.”

Crime has grown so out of control in the D.C. area that the local police union began running an ad campaign slamming politicians for their failure to address the grave concerns of the public. “Who’s to blame for this crime wave?” the narrator asks after making mention of various incidents, “D.C. councilmembers Charles Allen and Phil Mendelson. Their laws let criminals run free and prevent police from keeping us safe.”

“Unfortunately, our D.C. Council continues to pander to national liberal special interest as children die. It’s not their children though so tomorrow is yet another day for D.C. councilmembers to lean in to the far left on whatever new policy or idea they take up,” the ad went on.

The finger-pointing goes further up the ranks as well as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Karl Racine have also taken shots at one another. In January, the mayor wrote in her weekly newsletter, “When a violent crime happens in our city, we need people paying close attention to what happens along the whole process – from arrest to detention decision for those awaiting trial,” before adding the public should “[p]ay attention to the prosecution decision by the Office of the Attorney General.”

Everyone who has a role in keeping our city safe needs to work together, not point fingers.

We saw the lack of leadership over the summer when the Mayor inaccurately blamed the courts for crime increases, which the courts—in an unprecedented statement—rightly pushed back on.

— AG Karl A. Racine (@AGKarlRacine) January 29, 2022

Racine didn’t take kindly to Bowser’s accusations and in a lengthy Twitter thread fired back writing in part, “We saw the lack of leadership over the summer when the Mayor inaccurately blamed the courts for crime increases, which the courts-in an unprecedented statement-rightly pushed back on.”

“To address the increases in violence,” he noted, “DC needs leadership & a clear, consistent, all-hands-on-deck response. Everyone who has a role in keeping our city safe needs to work together, not point fingers.”

However, the bluster from politicians has been just that as murders, carjackings and violent crimes are at their worst rates in 20 years ahead of the summer months were tensions typically escalate.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Kevin Haggerty

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

Latest posts by Kevin Haggerty (see all)

• Illegal immigrant from Russia celebrates NYC exit: ‘They give me ticket for free to Chicago!’ - April 17, 2024
• NPR’s Uri Berliner resigns – blasts CEO who sees 1st Amendment used to defend old posts as ‘a challenge’ - April 17, 2024
• ‘Pretty scary’: Local leaders respond to chaos of San Diego area beaches being rushed by illegal migrants - April 17, 2024

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.