Car Break-Ins To Be Discussed By Vienna Police Chief Amid Recent Incidents

VIENNA, VA — Vehicle break-ins will be one topic of discussion at the first Mayor and Chief at Your Service of 2023 on Thursday.

Mayor Linda Colbert and Police Chief Jim Morris will participate in the public forum at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Vienna Police Department's Community Room, 215 Center St. S.

Morris will give an update on public safety concerns, including a rise in car break-ins. Vienna Police have warned residents about a rise in car thefts and break-ins in Northern Virginia and the rest of the DC region.

Vienna has not avoided a recent string of carjackings in the DC region. On Jan. 28, a vehicle was carjacked by armed suspects in the area of Park Street and Moore Avenue SE. According to police, the victim's vehicle was rear-ended before two armed suspects demanded access to the vehicle. The vehicle was found abandoned in Baltimore, but no suspect has been found.

Another stolen vehicle case happened between Jan. 24 and 28 in the 100 block of Branch Road SE. Police say a resident left the vehicle unlocked with the keys inside on Jan. 24. When the resident returned on Jan. 28, the vehicle was gone.

The most recent car break-in reported in the Vienna Police weekly crime reports happened in the 900 block of Westwood Drive NE overnight on Feb. 1-2. Police say a suspect entered an unlocked vehicle and took a gym bag containing clothing and shoes.

Vienna Police say there has been a recent trend of suspects driving stolen cars in the region between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Suspects may rummage through unlocked cars for valuables and money as well as steal cars with the keys left inside.

Outside the Town of Vienna, the Fairfax County Police Department is taking action to address car thefts. At a Fairfax County community meeting on Saturday, Police Chief Kevin Davis noted an auto crimes enforcement squad was formed in 2022 to solely work on auto thefts and identifying the suspects. Davis said the police department is the only agency in Northern Virginia with a full-time investigative commitment to auto thefts.

At Thursday's Vienna meeting, Morris will discuss what residents can do to protect their property. Vienna Police have recommended residents secure their cars, take keys inside, and lock the doors of homes and garages. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious vehicles or people and share surveillance footage when incidents occur. The police department's non-emergency number is 703-255-6366, while emergencies can be reported to 911.

The police chief and mayor will take questions and address any other issues residents would like to discuss at Thursday's public forum. The public forum was a tradition started by Mayor M. Jane Seeman over 20 years ago and continued with Mayor Laurie DiRocco and Seeman's daughter, Colbert. With public safety as a topic of interest, Colbert asked Morris to join the quarterly forums.

Limited parking will be available at the police department for the public forum. Attendees may park at the Vienna Community Center or Vienna Elementary School.