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A National Night Out Tip Helped Reston Police Crack Burglary Cases

A Reston community tip helped link a man to burglaries and thefts, leading to 18 charges and a stolen rifle's recovery, according to police.

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A Reston community tip helped link a man to burglaries and thefts, leading to 18 charges and a stolen rifle’s recovery, according to police. (Michael O'Connell/Patch)

RESTON, VA — A tip that followed a National Night Out event helped Fairfax County police identify a man now facing 18 charges connected to burglaries and thefts from vehicles in Reston, authorities said Tuesday.

Detectives attended National Night Out events across the Reston Police District on Aug. 4. After speaking with a detective, a community member later provided video showing a man entering an unlocked vehicle, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

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Police identified the man as Junior Gonzales-Coello, 31, of an undetermined address. Officers found Gonzales-Coello behind a building in the 11900 block of Bowman Towne Drive around 2 a.m. on Aug. 18 and took him into custody, police said.

Stolen Rifle Recovered

Officers recovered an AR-15-style rifle and magazines among Gonzales-Coello's belongings during the arrest, according to police. Detectives determined the firearm had been stolen about an hour earlier after someone entered a vehicle and an open garage in the 1900 block of Crescent Park Drive.

Police said detectives have linked Gonzales-Coello to four incidents:

Gonzales-Coello was charged with four counts of vehicle trespass, three counts each of burglary and grand larceny, two counts each of vehicle tampering, petit larceny and carrying a concealed weapon, and one count each of larceny from a vehicle and possession of a Schedule I or II drug, police said.

The court records describe two of the grand larceny charges as theft of a firearm. The concealed-weapon cases are listed as involving weapons other than firearms.

Police said five outstanding warrants from another jurisdiction were also served. The department did not identify that jurisdiction or specify the charges associated with those warrants.

Also See ...

Gonzales-Coello was being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, police said. Virginia court records list John Pickett as his attorney.

Court hearings for 15 of the new cases are scheduled for Nov. 16. Hearings for the three misdemeanor cases tied to the Aug. 14 incident are scheduled for Sept. 23. No pleas or dispositions were listed in the records.

Separate Fairfax County court records show Gonzales-Coello also has pending charges stemming from July 28, including felony grand larceny of a vehicle, misdemeanor eluding, driving without a license and failure to obey a highway sign. He was released on recognizance or a summons in those cases. The records do not establish whether those charges were connected to the outstanding warrants cited by police.

Detectives said the investigation remains active and additional charges are pending.

Anyone with information may call the Reston Police Station at 703-478-0904 and ask to speak with a detective. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Fairfax County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477 or through the P3 Tips app.

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