Five people burst into an apartment in Falls Church Sunday night in what Fairfax County Police are describing as a home invasion robbery.

The crime happened around 10 p.m. in a condominium community on the 7700 block of New Providence Drive, near Pine Spring Elementary and across the lake from 2941 Restaurant.

“The victims were inside an apartment playing video games when someone knocked on their door,” FCPD said in a crime report. “Upon answering the door, five suspects forced their way into the apartment, assaulting one victim and stealing electronics and other personal items.”

“The victim sustained minor injuries,” the crime report continues. “The five suspects were described as black men, in their early 20’s, one who was 6’3″, had dreadlocks and wore a hoodie.”

Map via Google Maps

(Updated at 11:25 a.m.) Fairfax County Police are on the lookout for a “suspicious man and woman” in a white van who tried to lure a young girl with the promise of a treat.

The incident happened after school dismissal Monday, several blocks from Pine Spring Elementary School in the Falls Church section of Fairfax County.

Police say the girl’s brother moved his sister away from the van and the siblings arrived home safely, reporting the incident to their parents who in turn notified the school on Tuesday.

Late Wednesday morning police released a sketch of the female suspect.

More from an FCPD press release:

Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau are investigating a suspicious man and woman that approached a young girl in the Pine Spring Neighborhood in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County. The preliminary investigation shows a girl was walking home from elementary school with her adult brother yesterday afternoon around 3:45. They were approached by a man and a woman at the intersection of Pine Spring Road and Meadow View Road. The pair offered a treat to the girl and motioned her towards them. The brother moved his sister away from the pair. The siblings made it home safely and reported the incident to their mom. Their mom reported it to Pine Spring Elementary School employees today, and they immediately called us.

The woman is described as white, between 40 and 50 years old, 5’2″, 140 pounds, with shoulder length straight blonde or grey hair.  She was wearing black pants and a white jacket with a hood. Our initial description of the man is only that he is between 40 and 50 years old with short hair. The couple is believed to have been driving a newer model white passenger van, with a yellow license plate.

Detectives are asking for anyone with information or have encountered this similar circumstances to contact us at 703-246-7800. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by visiting http://www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org, or calling 1-866-411-TIPS. They can also be sent in via text by texting “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES (274637). Text STOP to 274637 to cancel, or HELP to 274637 for help. Message and data rates may apply. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1000 if their information leads to an arrest.

Map via Google Maps

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is looking to expand its Falls Church headquarters.

A zoning application filed with the Department of Planning and Zoning in September says the new facility could potentially bring 300 to 500 uniformed personnel and civilian contractors to Fairfax County.

The application proposes to add a 179,200 square foot office building to the site, near the well-known 2941 restaurant, as well as a 948-space parking deck. This is in addition to the 670,000 square foot building already at 7700 Arlington Blvd.

DHA is the government agency that oversees health care to active duty and retired U.S. military personnel and their families. Included under the DHA is Tricare, which provides health benefits to 9.4 million people.

DHA moved into the site in 2012 after the building’s former occupant, Raytheon, moved out to consolidate its operations. The proposal cites the property’s proximity to Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon as the main reasons for the facility expansion.

The application says the new building on the site will include pedestrian amenities, like an open plaza area with tree cover and cafe tables. While most of the site expansion falls within existing zoning requirements, the new DHA offices will require additional screening and landscaping.

The area adjacent to DHA headquarters is currently under review by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to be turned into a new urban center like the nearby Mosaic District.

A man accused of threatening to blow up the Starbucks in the Yorktowne Shopping Center, in the Falls Church section of Fairfax County, is due in court for a preliminary hearing next month.

David Velasquez, 28, is facing a felony charge of making a bomb threat in connection with the Saturday afternoon incident, which prompted the evacuation of the cafe and surrounding businesses. His preliminary hearing for the bomb threat charge is scheduled for Dec. 19, court records show.

If convicted on that charge, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Velasquez is also charged with being drunk in public. It’s the 10th time he’s been arrested and charged with being drunk in public in Fairfax County so far this year, according to General District court records.

More on the bomb threat from a Fairfax County Police Department press release:

A 28-year-old Fairfax man is facing charges for threatening to bomb a Starbucks in the Yorktowne Shopping Center around 4 p.m. on Saturday.  David Velasquez was drunk and passed out inside the Starbucks, located at 8104 Arlington Boulevard when an employee woke him and asked him to leave.  Velasquez refused and said he had a bomb in his backpack that would explode in two minutes.  He then went inside the bathroom and would not come out.

Employees immediately evacuated the business and called 9-1-1.  Our officers arrived and asked adjoining business to evacuate as a precaution.  Negotiations were attempted for almost 70 minutes before Velasquez finally walked out of the front door and was arrested. Due to his level of intoxication, Velazquez was taken to an area hospital to be medically treated.  Velasquez was then taken to the Adult Detention Center, where he was charged with threats to bomb or damage buildings , and being drunk in public.  He was held on no bond.  Our Explosive Ordinance Division responded and examined the backpack, which did not contain any hazardous items.

Fairfax County Police are looking for a man who lured a woman into his car with the offer of a ride home, then pulled over and groped her instead.

The alleged crime happened just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday night on Shady Lane in the Falls Church area.

“The victim was walking home when a dark colored car pulled up next to her,” FCPD said in a crime report. “The driver offered her a ride home and she accepted.”

“A few moments later, the driver pulled the car over to the side of the road and began touching himself and the victim inappropriately,” the crime report continues. “The suspect was described as a middle eastern man, approximately 26 years old, 6′ 0″ with black hair.”

(Updated at 12:20 p.m.) A student at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church reportedly brandished a fake gun inside the school, prompting a prompting a police investigation and a letter to parents.

John Torre, a public information officer for Fairfax County Public Schools, said that the school was made aware of the video last night (Tuesday).

Torre said police were notified and determined that the weapon the individual was holding was a fake. Fairfax County Police said on Twitter that they did not believe there was a threat to school safety.

We have been investigating since it was reported to us. The gun pictured in the video is a fake and the information we have at this time does not suggest there is a threat to school safety.

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) October 17, 2018

The video was reportedly circulated on Snapchat. A clip posted on Twitter, purporting to be of the video in question and sent to the school system and a local TV station, shows a young person brandishing what appears to be a gun under the caption “uhh 109% ur f****d if u at marshall.”

The school notified parents early this morning. The FCPS Twitter account said parents should have received the update around 7:30 a.m., but some parents said via Twitter they didn’t receive the update until their children were already on the bus to school.

Yes received after my child would have been on the bus. Some parents didn't get until 9ish. Too little info too late. FCPS needs to do more to inform parents and keep our kids safe.

— Shari Blackburn (@ShariABlackburn) October 17, 2018

Torre said the police contacted the student and family, and that the school would not comment on any disciplinary actions taken.

Photo (top) via Google Maps (bottom) via Twitter

Wristbands are now on sale for Haycock Elementary’s Fall Festival.

For $12 pre-purchased or $15 at the door, children will have access to unlimited games, moonbounces, face painting, magic and more. There will also be food trucks, pony rides, a cupcake walk, a scarecrow walk, balloon animals, a “butterbeer garten” and a 50/50 raffle.

Advance tickets are only available online until noon tomorrow. Children under two and adults are free. Armbands bought for children will be delivered to students by teachers on Friday (Oct. 19).

The event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 21 from 12-4 p.m, rain or shine. Parking at the festival is limited to handicap spaces, so attendees are encouraged to walk or use other parking spaces in the neighborhood.

The festival is also looking for volunteers to help run the event, promising shifts to be short and suite so volunteers can also enjoy the festivities. Sign up is available online.

Photo via Fairfax County Public Schools

The Tysons McLean Orchestra will kick off its 48th season with an opening concert this Saturday (Oct. 13) at The Falls Church.

Music Director and Conductor Miriam Burns will lead 65 musicians in a “European Travelogue” concert composed of a variety of classical pieces. The concert, hosted by the Episcopal church at 115 E. Fairfax Street in Falls Church, will feature Sean Lee, a violinist who won the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2016.

The next concert of the season will be the “Holiday Fantasy” performance on Dec. 9 in Vinson Hall Ballroom (6251 Old Dominion Drive, McLean), where the orchestra will play holiday music both classical and from film soundtracks.

Individual concert tickets are not yet available, but season tickets are available at the Tysons McLean Orchestra website. Season tickets for adults are $120, $100 for seniors and $50 for youth.

Photo (top) via Facebook

Todd Hitt, the founder of Falls Church-based Kiddar Capital and a member of the prominent construction family, has been arrested by the FBI and charged with securities fraud.

Earlier this year Kiddar made several announcements to some fanfare in the local business press: bringing on the son of a well-known local real estate developer to head the company’s venture capital group, making plans to invest significantly in homebuilding projects, and planning to relocate to a new office building in Falls Church.

Today, however, Hitt is due to appear in federal court in Alexandria, facing charges that come with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The company’s Twitter and Instagram accounts have been shut down. Its Facebook page remains active but has not posted new content since August.

More on the charges via a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia:

A Fairfax man surrendered to the FBI on an outstanding arrest warrant today in connection with being charged with having committed securities fraud.

According to court documents, Todd Elliott Hitt, 53, is alleged to have committed securities fraud in connection with his ownership and operation of Kiddar Capital, a self-described asset management firm based in Falls Church. According to the allegations, Hitt falsely claimed that Kiddar Capital managed $1.4 billion in assets and had offices located in Houston, Palm Springs, and London. The complaint further alleges that Hitt raised more than $16 million from investors by misrepresenting that Hitt would invest $6 million as a general partner as part of a planned $33 million purchase of a Herndon building adjacent to a future stop on the Silver Line of the Washington, D.C., Metro. According to the complaint, Hitt further failed to disclose to investors his extravagant spending, which included the leasing of private jets and the purchase of sports tickets and jewelry, among other things.

Hitt, who will make his initial appearance today at 2 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, is charged with securities fraud, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the charges were unsealed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark D. Lytle is prosecuting the case.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Police say a woman in Falls Church was physically assaulted during a robbery.

The 74-year old woman was reportedly walking through the Kingsley Commons Townhouses on her way home around 12:50 a.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 26) morning when a man approached her.

The woman told police the man, who she didn’t recognize, punched her in the face and stole her purse. The woman was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Photo via Google Maps