It remains to be seen if a recent pair of arrests will finally bring an end to a series of gaming machine thefts that have plagued the D.C. metro area for the past three weeks. However, Fairfax County police officers have shared a potential breakthrough in the case on Wednesday.
Detectives suspect that Leonard Jones, a 59-year-old driver, and Terrell Hardy, a 35-year-old passenger, were involved in the Virginia gaming machine thefts. On Tuesday, January 24, both individuals were apprehended for attempting to steal on two separate occasions.
The 7-Eleven clerks in Fairfax County, Virginia, often found themselves in situations where they could only observe.
On occasion, the individuals who entered the establishments would proceed to forcibly open Virginia’s ATM-sized gaming machines right then and there. Alternatively, they would opt to load the machine onto a truck and swiftly depart from the location.
Maryland men charged with gaming machine theft
In total, a combination of surveillance cameras and store personnel have verified a total of six past incidents of criminal activity at 7-Eleven establishments within the area.
- On Thursday, December 29, the stores located on Chain Bridge Road in McClean will open at 4:30 a.m., while the ones on Braddock Road in Springfield will open at 8 a.m.
- On Thursday, January 12th, at the store located on Lincolnia Road in Alexandria, it was 5:15 a.m.
- There were two attempted thefts on Monday, Jan. 16 at the stores located on Beulah Street (at 4:23 a.m.) and Frye Road (at 1:10 p.m.) in Alexandria.
- On Saturday, January 21st, at 10:59 a.m., I was at the store located on Beauregard Street in Alexandria.
On January 24th, when Jones and Hardy were apprehended, it is possible that they had set their sights on robbing two 7-Elevens in a single day.
At 8:55 p.m., a staff member from the Frye Road 7-Eleven in the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria contacted the Fairfax County police officers.
According to the witness, two individuals were seen stealing a gaming machine. The culprits successfully loaded the machine onto a silver truck and headed west on Frye Road before departing the scene.
This led to an increased presence of officers in the vicinity. A truck that resembled the given description was discovered near the Russell Road 7-Eleven, located within Alexandria’s Mount Vernon district, by the investigators.
- The officers possessed a license plate fragment from the previous act of theft.
- according to the police report, components of a gaming machine were clearly visible in the truck’s bed.
- Jones and Hardy were dressed in attire that closely resembled the clothing worn by the individuals depicted in the surveillance footage of the Frye Road theft.
- Additional evidence was discovered within the vehicle by the detectives.
The Russell Road attempted theft, which was disrupted by the police, took place approximately two hours after the Frye Road incident.
Charges filed
At the moment, Jones and Hardy have been charged solely with the most recent thefts in the Mount Vernon region, according to the police. However, the Fairfax County Police are actively investigating the previous six crimes, indicating the possibility of additional charges in the near future.
Jones was charged with:
- grand larceny
- possession of burglarious tools
- two charges of property destruction
- petit larceny.
Hardy was charged with:
- grand larceny
- destruction of property and
- simple assault.
Fairfax County officers are eager to establish a collaborative partnership with local businesses in order to proactively mitigate potential theft incidents. The county’s public information department has disseminated the following message:
To ensure the safety of their establishments, business owners are advised to anchor gaming machines and ATMs securely to the floor. Additionally, it is crucial for owners to regularly check and maintain the functionality of their security cameras. Furthermore, any obstructions on the windows located at the front of the businesses should be promptly removed to ensure clear visibility. In the event of a crime taking place, it is imperative to immediately contact the police.
To report information about the gaming machine thefts, contact the Major Crimes Bureau of the county at 703-246-7800. Alternatively, provide anonymous tips to Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477).
In Virginia, the policy perspective on gaming machines remains ambiguous. It should be noted that certain legislators advocate for imposing taxes on these machines and implementing stricter state-level monitoring to ensure fairness.
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