BETHESDA AIRBAG THIEF ON THE PROWL - BETHESDA CRIME ALERT

The latest twist in the recent crime spike across Bethesda is the theft of several vehicle airbags. One Bethesda resident tells me his airbag, and the entire center of his steering wheel, were stolen Thursday night. His insurance provider, and Bethesda dealership Chevy Chase Cars, both informed him that at least 4 airbags were stolen around the same time Thursday night/Friday morning.

As I have been reporting recently, there have been many thefts and vehicle burglaries over the last two weeks. Hot spots include downtown Bethesda, White Flint and western Bethesda (especially Sumner, with Baltan Road being hit the hardest). However, preliminary crime data does not identify how many of the stolen items were airbags. Until we hear more from the county police, it is not possible to know how widespread the airbag thefts are, and whether it is a new operation or accounts for thefts going back over the two week period.

Here is a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day:

December 24:

Theft. 7700 block Woodmont Avenue.

Theft. 4500 block Middleton Lane (downtown Bethesda).

Liquor arrest. 8100 block Wisconsin Avenue (near Doubletree Hotel).

Theft. 6900 block Arlington Road.

Theft. 8600 block Old Georgetown Road (Suburban Hospital vicinity).

Vehicle burglary. 5900 block Conway Road (Old Georgetown Road corridor).

Vehicle burglary. 6000 block Sonoma Road (not far from the Conway Road theft).

Burglary. 6000 block Ryland Drive (near Beltway off Old Georgetown).

Theft. 5100 block Baltan Road (Sumner).

Theft. 6400 block Camrose Terrace (near Davis Library).

Theft. 10400 block Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center area).

Robbery. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard (Westfield Montgomery Mall area).

December 25:

Vehicle burglary. 7400 block Wisconsin Avenue (downtown Bethesda).

Drug arrest. 6700 block Democracy Boulevard (Stratton Park vicinity).