Who are the thieves stealing from vehicles in this Bethesda garage?

Who are the criminals who have been breaking into cars at a stepped-up pace inside the parking garage at the new Westbard Square development in Bethesda, and where exactly are they coming from? Shoppers parking in the garage sometimes return to find items have been stolen from inside their vehicles. The most recent theft was reported two days ago on April 1, 2025, at 1:39 PM. A number of the incidents have taken place in the afternoons, including one case where a vehicle was broken into, and two students' backpacks with laptop computers inside were stolen. 

So far in 2025, victims have called the police to report thefts from their vehicles inside this garage on April 1, March 27, twice on March 24, March 6, twice on March 4, February 28, February 21, February 20, and February 10. Last year, I received 3 emails from readers who were either directly impacted by a theft from their vehicle, or knew of a victim.

The incidents are obviously not on a daily basis, and property owner Regency Centers has a security officer on patrol. It's unclear how many of the theft cases have been closed, but it is puzzling where these thieves are suddenly coming from geographically, how they are making their getaways, and why such thefts from vehicles have increased in a low-crime neighborhood.

Now that a shooting has taken place in the same vicinity early last Saturday morning with two victims being injured, in which only luck prevented any passing drivers or pedestrians from being struck by what some residents have described as 20-30 rounds being fired, the public needs more transparency about where these criminals are coming from. And, clearly, more police patrols are required in the Westbard area. The Montgomery County Council has been asleep at the switch again. Maybe Councilmembers should spend less time coddling criminals and offering mere words at "public safety meetings," and actually do something about the shortage of police officers they created. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Trader Joe's adds wayfinding signage for parking in Bethesda

Combining the words "Trader Joe's" and "parking" could require a trigger warning for some Bethesda and Chevy Chase grocery shoppers. But here we're talking about the other Trader Joe's in downtown Bethesda, at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue. They've just installed a large, red sign to indicate where customers can park underground in the 8001 Woodmont apartment tower the store is located in. It has the Trader Joe's logo, and an old-time 1920s hand pointing to the garage entryway. Right this way, old sport!

New Starbucks parking at Hyatt Regency Bethesda

A new parking spot has been created for delivery drivers and takeout customers at the Starbucks inside the Hyatt Regency Bethesda hotel at 7400 Wisconsin Avenue. The sign that was just installed allows 5 minutes of parking for Starbucks. Of course, a five minute limit assumes that the delivery is ready to go and that the driver doesn't have to get in line with customers to receive the parcel. 

When the hotel added the Starbucks in 2018, the pandemic and ensuing delivery craze were still two years away, and not forseen by many. The chain's decision to intentionally reject its role as a comfortable "third place" where customers would linger while sipping beverages, after a 2018 bathroom-use racism scandal, only increased the customer switchover to takeout and delivery in the following years. Starbucks has recently indicated that this move was a mistake, and that it will refocus on the in-store experience in the coming months.

WSSC work ahead on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda

Water utility WSSC has a project scheduled to begin in the Woodmont Triangle of downtown Bethesda next week. A small stretch of Woodmont Avenue in front of Pizzeria Da Marco at 8008 Woodmont will be impacted, and there will be no street parking on that side during the work. The project is scheduled to begin at 7:00 AM on Monday, December 2, 2024, and end by 5:00 PM on December 5. Violators in the affected parking spots will have their vehicles towed, the utility says. 

Cordell-St. Elmo garage cleaning scheduled for evening of Sept. 9-10 in Bethesda

Heads up for those planning to park in the Cordell-St. Elmo Public Parking Garage 40 in downtown Bethesda this coming Monday and Tuesday night, September 9 and 10, 2024: The garage is scheduled for evening washdown and degreasing operations both nights. Drivers are reminded to use caution while this work is being performed.

MCDOT files mandatory referral for Lot 44 redevelopment in Bethesda

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation Parking Division has filed a mandatory referral for the disposition of Public Parking Lot 44 at 4704 West Virginia Avenue in downtown Bethesda with the Montgomery County Planning Department. An apartment building with up to 59 units, 15% of which would be Moderately-Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs), structured parking, and dedication of 6000 SF for the Eastern Greenway public park has been proposed for the site. 

A public hearing on the referral before the Planning Board is tentatively scheduled for September 12, 2024. "Mandatory referral" means that the Planning Board commissioners can advise the County about the proposal, but cannot block it, a privilege given to development, land use, or land acquisition/sale proposals submitted by any level of government to the Planning Board. Commissioners can reject a mandatory referral, but the government can simply ignore that decision and proceed.

You're on Candid Camera in Westbard Square garage in Bethesda - forever

UPDATE - May 18: I have been informed by Regency Centers that the signs were posted temporarily for a promotional video shoot at the property, and are not permanent.

There's an unusual sign posted inside the parking garage at the new Westbard Square development at 5400 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. "Notice of Filming," it reads at the top. But it's different from the typical disclosure of surveillance camera monitoring. 

The notice advises patrons that not only are you being filmed, but audio recorded as well, and that your image, likeness and voice can be used by property owner Regency Centers in perpetuity. This use of your image and voice can be in any form of media that exists now, or in the future. I am waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out.

Road closures, parking restrictions today & Sunday for Bethesda Fine Arts Festival

Watch for street closures and parking restrictions in the Woodmont Triangle of downtown Bethesda today and tomorrow, May 11 and 12, 2024, related to the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival. Many parking meters are "bagged" to be out of service, and the small Public Parking Lot 28 at 4854 Cordell Avenue will be closed from now until 9:00 PM Sunday night. The festival is free, and will be located along Norfolk, Auburn and Del Ray Avenues from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM today, and from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday. It will take place rain or shine on both days.

Bethesda property installs long arm of the (parking) law to secure lot

The long arm of the law is now on duty at the parking lot outside of Bethesda Systems at 4840 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle. A new, manual parking lot gate arm has been installed at the driveway entrance. It can be closed to protect against unauthorized use of the lot and a Tesla charging station. Bethesda Systems is a leading retailer and installer of smart home automation and entertainment systems in the Washington, D.C. area.

Brick paver replacement at Bethesda Public Parking Garage 57 (Photos)

Brick pavers in the driveway entrance are being replaced at the Bethesda-Elm Public Parking Garage 57 at 4841 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row. Last night, part of the Bethesda Avenue entrance driveway was cordoned off for the work. The pavers line up with the sidewalk on Bethesda Avenue. They are the official, mandated downtown Bethesda streetscape pavers.

New parking lot on Bethesda Avenue

A new public parking lot has opened on Bethesda Avenue. It is making a temporary use of the former bank parking lot at 4708 Bethesda Avenue. That building is expected to be demolished to make way for the 7126 Wisconsin Avenue development, which also includes the Starbucks, Carroll Community Bank, Lance's Beer & Wine and Vace Italian Delicatessen properties. The new parking lot is being operated by ParkX Management of Reston, and offers a pay-by-phone system.

Shots fired inside Bethesda parking garage

The Montgomery County Police Department reports that officers investigated the sound of gunfire in the 4900 block of St. Elmo Avenue in downtown Bethesda "in the early morning hours of" February 11, 2024, but have not identified or located any suspects in the incident so far. That is all the department has stated publicly as of this writing.

However, DMV News Live reported on Twitter that a police officer was patrolling in the vicinity of the Cordell-St. Elmo Public Parking Garage 40 at 4935 St. Elmo Avenue around 3:15 AM that morning, and heard gunshots coming from inside the garage. The officer saw two vehicles - makes and models were not identified - speed out of the garage and flee the scene. 

MCPD officers investigated inside the garage, and located shell casings on the parking deck around 4:05 AM, confirming that shots had indeed been fired inside the structure. The suspect(s) remain at-large.

All elevators go out of service at Metropolitan public parking garage in Bethesda

Old Georgetown Road Metropolitan
Public Parking Garage 49 elevators frozen
Thursday night, completely shutting down
all elevator access to and from the 
Montgomery County-owned public parking garage

UPDATE - 9:05 AM: All elevators are still out of service this morning. 

It's incredible enough that one bank of elevators at the Montgomery County-owned Metropolitan Public Parking Garage 49 in Bethesda have been out of service for over four years. But last night, a reader reports, all elevators were out of commission. No signs were posted explaining the outage. The garage is now fully out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Two sets of Montgomery County Councilmembers have banned things and raised taxes over these four years, but haven't moved a muscle to restore elevator service and ADA compliance at this garage under their oversight.

Two more EV-charging stations to be added to Westbard Square garage

Plans to have four electric vehicle charging stations in the Phase 1 parking garage at Westbard Square in Bethesda were announced two years ago. Two additional vehicle charging spaces will now be added on the second level of the garage, which is located at 5400 Westbard Avenue. The building's second floor tenants are primarily administrative (including property owner Regency Centers' own offices) and professional (healthcare) or educational (Kumon Math & Reading Center) in nature. Anchor tenant Giant has the top floor, where it will open its newest grocery store January 26, and retail spaces on the ground level are filling up at an increasing pace.

First look: Parking garage opens at Westbard Square (Photos)

The parking garage has opened in the new Phase 1 retail building at Westbard Square in Bethesda. It may be timed to the opening of the new location of the Westwood Barber Shop, which looks like it may have just opened; shortly after the normal closing time last evening, employees were seen inside wearing barber uniforms. Voorthuis Opticians is likely to be the second tenant to reach opening day; the eyewear chain says it expects to open its Westbard Square store in late December or early January. Anchor tenant Giant is expected to follow later in January. 

The garage has one of those fancy digital signs indicating how many spaces are available, and the exit has some character with a smart aleck "SEE YA LATER!" sign above the driveway. A corridor leading to "SHOPS" is still fenced off, as those shops either haven't opened yet, or are vacant storefronts.

Westwood Barber Shop

Bethesda Row Giant implements new 2-hour parking limit

New signs have been posted in the parking lot of the Bethesda Row Giant grocery store, warning of a 2-hour parking time limit. Vehicles parked more than two hours in the lot, or those left by "walk-off" drivers who go somewhere besides Giant after parking, will be towed at the vehicle owner's expense. How aggressive the enforcement will be remains to be seen in the coming weeks. In the previous decade, downtown Bethesda was the scene of tense debate over predatory towing schemes driven by profit, versus the need to keep spaces open for business patrons.

Westbard Square parking garage signage installed in Bethesda (Photos)

Wondering where you'll park at the new Westbard Square development? Signage is now up at the entrance of the parking garage at the future development at 5400 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. Don't try to drive in just yet, though. Metal barricades are still blocking the entrance. When it does open, don't forget to thank the Monopoly Guy for free parking.

WSSC project to impact street parking on part of Cordell Avenue in Bethesda this week

A WSSC water utility project will impact street parking on part of Cordell Avenue in Bethesda this week. Parking spaces in the vicinity of 4886 Cordell, in front of Zuma by Chef Ninja, will be blocked off for part of two days. There will be no parking from 7:00 AM on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 through 5:00 PM on November 22.

Painting at Cordell-St. Elmo garage in Bethesda November 7-30, 2023

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will be touching up the paint in the Cordell-St. Elmo Public Parking Garage 40 at 4935 St. Elmo Avenue in downtown Bethesda starting tomorrow, November 7, 2023. Painting will begin on the roof level Tuesday. The work is expected to conclude by November 30. Watch for signage as the project proceeds.

Bethesda 7-Eleven installs safety bollards across storefront (Photos)

A contractor installed safety bollards in front of the 7-Eleven store at 7820 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda yesterday. Starting at 6:30 AM Tuesday, men removed the existing parking blocks from the parking spaces across the storefront. Next, they drilled holes in the pavement for the bollards, which were installed by the afternoon. The parking lot closed briefly to complete the work.