Auto thieves prowling River Road/Massachusetts Ave. corridor in Bethesda again

Auto theft activity is picking up again along one of the criminals' favorite corridors in Montgomery County, River Road and Massachusetts Avenue near the Washington, D.C. line. A vehicle was stolen from a home in the 5300 block of Allandale Road in Green Acres on the evening of July 28, 2025. Montgomery County police say that the vehicle had been left unlocked, and with the keys inside. Fortunately, detectives were able to locate and recover the vehicle the next day.

Thieves returned the very next evening to steal a second vehicle in the 5200 block of Worthington Drive in the Westgate neighborhood off Massachusetts. That vehicle has not yet been recovered. 

Remember to lock your vehicle, and remove all visible objects from the interior. Park in a garage or well-lit area if possible, and do not leave keys or key fobs in the glove compartment or ignition.

Lane closure on River Road in Bethesda April 24

The right lane of westbound River Road will be closed west of Willard Avenue (heading toward Little Falls Parkway) on Monday, April 24, 2023, according to an electronic sign posted by a Maryland State Highway Administration. It will be closed between 4:30 PM and 8:30 PM. Like the low-information electronic messages posted by SHA these days, neither an end point (i.e. the cross street where the lane will reopen again) nor a reason for the closure is given.

Homes burglarized in Green Acres, Springfield neighborhoods in Bethesda; car stolen from one

An overnight rash of burglaries in southwest Bethesda kept Montgomery County police officers busy early Tuesday morning. At least two homes were burglarized in the 5200 block of Baltimore Avenue in Green Acres. During the same time period, at least one home was burglarized a few blocks up Massachusetts Avenue in the 5300 block of Brookeway Drive in Springfield. A car was then stolen from a home on that block.

Officers found no signs of forced entry at the homes. This suggests that the burglars were testing doors, and taking advantage when finding an unlocked one. Another good reminder to ensure all entry doors and accessible windows are locked at night.

Car stolen in Green Acres, thieves rifle through cars in Springfield neighborhood of Bethesda

One or more thieves took what they could from at least cars in the Springfield neighborhood of Bethesda off River Road early yesterday morning. Property was taken from vehicles parked in the 5800 block of Ogden Court, and in the 5700 block of Ridgefield Road, according to crime data. One resident in nearby Green Acres fared much worse, however - a vehicle was entirely stolen from the 5000 block of Smallwood Drive.

Car stolen in Green Acres neighborhood of Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in the Green Acres neighborhood of Bethesda off River Road early Valentine's Day morning. The vehicle was taken from the driveway of a home in the 5300 block of Wakefield Road around 3:30 AM Sunday morning.

4 cars stolen in Bethesda, Chevy Chase

It's a new year, but the 2020 spike in auto thefts is still with us in Montgomery County. A car parked along the street in the 5200 block of Ventnor Road in the Green Acres neighborhood of Bethesda was stolen early yesterday morning. It is believed that the vehicle was taken sometime between 12:30 AM and 7:45 AM that morning. Property was also stolen from another vehicle on the same block.

Montgomery County police had responded to the report of another vehicle stolen just hours earlier Sunday morning, this time in Chevy Chase. That car was parked in the driveway of a home in the 4800 block of De Russey Parkway.

A day earlier, a vehicle parked along the street in the 3400 block of Thornapple Street in Chevy Chase was also reported stolen. That same morning, a car was taken from the driveway of a home in the 9100 block of Hollyoak Drive in Bethesda, and items were taken from at least one other car on that block, and from another car in the 7900 block of Charleston Court.

2 cars stolen in Massachusetts Avenue corridor theft spree this week

One or more auto thieves has been prowling the Massachusetts Avenue corridor in Bethesda this week. Property was taken from several vehicles, and two others were stolen entirely.

Valuables were stolen from a vehicle parked in a driveway in the 6000 block of Woodacres Drive in the Wood Acres subdivision over the night of August 24 to 25. Items were also taken from another vehicle parked on that block. Over the same night, a vehicle parked along the street in the 6200 block of Welborn Drive - also in Wood Acres - was stolen. Property was also taken from a vehicle parked in the 5300 block of Allandale Road, in nearby Green Acres.

The same thief/thieves or other perpetrator(s) may have returned to the area the next evening.

Over the night between August 25 and the morning of August 26, a vehicle was stolen from a driveway in the 5300 block of Brookeway Drive in Springfield. Property was taken from two vehicles parked in driveways of two separate homes in the 5600 block of Newington Road, also in Springfield. A credit card taken from at least one vehicle was later used at a gas station, according to crime data.

If you live in this area, be sure to lock your car doors. Remove all valuables (including the car keys!) from the interior, and report suspicious activity to the Montgomery County police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.

Assault at The Promenade, theft from vehicle in Green Acres + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 19, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 5400 block Bradley Boulevard.

Theft from vehicle. 5000 block Smallwood Drive (Green Acres).

Assault. The Promenade (Pooks Hill).

Assault. 5700 block Grosvenor Lane.

Assault. 9900 block Montauk Avenue at 1:27 PM.

SHA to add left turn lane on River Rd. at Willard Avenue in Bethesda

The Maryland State Highway Administration is finally moving forward on a project talked about for the last several years - a new left turn lane onto Willard Avenue along eastbound River Road in Bethesda. Contrary to planners' recent assertions that traffic is wonderful along the busy commuter route, the River-Willard intersection is one of the top 50 most-congested intersections in Montgomery County.

Expected to take over a year to complete, the project will widen River Road along the northbound side between Baltimore Avenue and a point 150 feet west of Willard Avenue. All of the land being utilized for the project is within the SHA right-of-way; no seizure of private property is expected.

Crews will also construct sidewalk ramps for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and new curbs and gutters. They'll also install audible and countdown display pedestrian signals at the River Road intersections with Ventnor Road, WillardAvenue/Greenway Drive and Baltimore Avenue.

Traffic signals will also be upgraded, and the road will be repaved at project's end, likely in the fall of 2016. Yes, there will be nighttime work Sunday through Thursday nights, to the delight of nearby residents who recently endured a never-ending Pepco project.

$825,000 has been budgeted for the project, and its schedule will be determined by how mild or nasty the upcoming winter is.

The SHA estimates over 17,000 cars use this stretch of River Road daily. Let's hope County planners and the SHA start discussing projects to increase capacity along River Road in light of plans for massive redevelopment in the Westbard sector plan. Of course, while widening River Road would make sense, it would narrow again to 4 lanes at the DC line, leaving a major bottleneck point. Currently ground zero for the War on Cars in America, the District is unlikely to agree to widen River Road within its jurisdiction.

11 cars broken into in SW Bethesda, theft at Caddies, assault on St. Elmo + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on July 16, according to crime data:

Assault. 4900 block St. Elmo Avenue at 3:35 PM.

Theft. Caddies on Cordell.

Assault. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Cumberland Avenue (Somerset).

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Essex Avenue (Somerset).

Vehicle burglary. 5600 block Warwick Place (Somerset).

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Allandale Road (Green Acres).

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Wakefield Road (Green Acres).

Drug arrest. River Road at Goldsboro Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Keokuk Street (Westgate).

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Jamestown Road (Yorktown Village).

Vehicle burglary. 4800 block Bayard Boulevard (Crestview).

Vehicle burglary. 5600 block Gloster Road (Wood Acres).

Vehicle burglary. 6000 block Massachusetts Avenue (Glen Echo Heights).

Drug arrest. River Road at Wilson Lane.

Vehicle burglary. 6100 block Tulane Avenue (Glen Echo).

Theft. 10400 block Old Georgetown Road.

Car stolen in Burning Tree Valley, theft in Green Acres + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 18, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 8200 block Kentbury Drive.

Theft. 5000 block Greenway Drive (Green Acres).

Theft. 5300 block Western Avenue.

Liquor arrest. 6000 block Beech Avenue.

Disorderly conduct. Grosvenor Metro station.

Drug arrest. 5700 block Luxemburg Street.

Stolen car. 7000 block Winterberry Lane (Burning Tree Valley).

Vehicle burglary. 11000 block Stillwater Avenue (Garrett Park Estates).

Theft. 6400 block Rockledge Drive.

Theft. 5800 block Edson Lane (Pike District).

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Assault reported at Suburban Hospital; thefts in Green Acres, Kenwood Park + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 26, according to crime data:

Theft. 7700 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 7900 block Norfolk Avenue.

Assault. Suburban Hospital.

Theft. 5600 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Burglary. 5500 block Friendship Boulevard.

Burglary. 3600 block Raymond Street at 4:15 PM (Chevy Chase Section 3).

Vehicle burglary. 5600 block Oakmont Avenue.

Theft. 5000 block Rodman Road at 8:43 AM (Green Acres).

Vehicle burglary. 6200 block Clearwood Road at 1:15 PM (Kenwood Park).

Theft from vehicle. 6600 block Western Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 11700 block Parklawn Drive (Pike District).

Theft from vehicle. 11700 block Hunters Lane at 12:49 PM (Randolph Hills).

Liquor arrest. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

ASSAULT W/DEADLY WEAPON ON MARINELLI RD., THEFT IN GREEN ACRES + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on February 11, according to crime data:

Theft from vehicle. 6900 block Winterberry Lane (Burning Tree Valley).

Theft. 5100 block Newport Avenue (Green Acres).

Theft from vehicle. 4400 block Willard Avenue.

Theft from vehicle. 10900 block Stillwater Avenue.

Assault with a deadly weapon. 5700 block Marinelli Road (Pike District).

Theft. 11500 block Schuylkill Road (Randolph Hills).

2 BURGLARIES IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA, AUTO BREAK-INS IN GREEN ACRES - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on February 5, according to crime data:

Burglary. 8000 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Burglary. 4800 block Rugby Avenue.

Theft. 4400 block Willard Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Yorktown Road (Green Acres).

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Redford Road (Green Acres).

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Theft. Macy's at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

ASSAULTS IN POOKS HILL, SCOTLAND, FRIENDSHIP HTS. + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 21, according to crime data:

Assault. 4700 block Willard Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Greenway Drive (Green Acres).

Theft. Friendship Heights Metro Station.

Assault. Pooks Hill Road at Rockville Pike.

Theft. 10400 block Grosvenor Place.

Assault/"other sexual offense." 5100 block Crossfield Court.

Assault. 7800 block Scotland Drive.

THIEVES MAY BE CASING W. BETHESDA NEIGHBORHOODS - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

A vehicle break-in and 2 thefts in west Bethesda on Thursday suggest thieves may still be casing that area. Two days earlier, 4 vehicles were broken into in the same area between River Road and MacArthur Boulevard. The neighborhoods hit on Thursday were Green Acres and Westmoreland Hills. If you live in that area, lock your car doors and report any suspicious vehicles or people to the Montgomery County Police.

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 12, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Elm Street.

Theft. 7100 block Connecticut Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Yorktown Road (Green Acres).

Theft. 5400 block Albemarle Street (Westmoreland Hills).

Theft. 4500 block Tournay Road (Westmoreland Hills).

Drug arrest. 6200 block Bells Mill Road.

Drug arrest. 10400 block Old Georgetown Road.

RASH OF AUTO BREAK-INS IN W. BETHESDA, ASSAULT ON WESTBARD + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

A minor spike in crime in western Bethesda Tuesday found an assault reported on Westbard Avenue, a burglary on River Road, and a rash of vehicle break-ins along the River Road and Massachusetts Avenue corridors.

4 vehicles were broken into in and around the Green Acres and Spring Hill neighborhoods there. Make sure to lock your car doors, and remove all valuables from the vehicle cabin.

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 10, according to crime data:

Theft. 7400 block Arlington Road.

Theft. 4700 block Bethesda Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 7300 block Oakridge Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4200 block Leland Street.

Vehicle burglary. 8500 block Lynwood Place.

Burglary. 5100 block River Road.

Vehicle burglary. 4400 block S. Park Avenue.

Assault. 5400 block Westbard Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Greenway Drive (Green Acres).

Vehicle burglary. 5100 block Newport Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Wriley Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Portsmouth Road (Spring Hill).

Drug arrest. 7300 block Democracy Boulevard.

2 ASSAULTS IN N. BETHESDA, AUTO BREAK-INS IN GREEN ACRES - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on April 23, according to crime data:

Theft. 7700 block Norfolk Avenue.

Theft. 7100 block Bethesda Lane (Bethesda Row).

Theft. 4500 block of Cheltenham Drive.

Theft. 8500 block Salem Way (Glenbrook).

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Greenway Drive (Green Acres).

Drug arrest. Connecticut Avenue at Beach Drive.

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Westway Drive (Crestview/near Green Acres).

Assault. 6000 block Berkshire Drive (Wildwood Manor).

Theft. 5800 block Nicholson Lane (White Flint).

Assault/"other sexual offense." 6300 block Tilden Lane (Luxmanor).

THEFTS CONTINUE IN BETHESDA NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Three more thefts were reported in neighborhoods along Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda on December 17. One was in Sumner on Baltan Road, which has already been hit in this crime spike. The second and third were in the Green Acres/Glen Cove area. Since my last crime update, another theft was also reported not far from Baltan, in the 5100 block of Westpath Way.

If you live in the area, make sure your car and home doors are locked, and that all valuables are removed from the vehicle cabin.

Here is a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on December 17:

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Earlston Drive (Glen Cove area, Massachusetts Ave. corridor).

Theft. 5100 block Baltan Road (Sumner).

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Bayard Boulevard (Green Acres).

Arrest for weapons offense. 4400 block East-West Highway.

Burglary. 4600 block Norwood Road (Chevy Chase along Green Mile).

Theft. 6900 block Maple Avenue (Chevy Chase, just outside downtown Bethesda).

Vehicle burglary. 5800 block Plainview Road (Whitman HS area).

Theft. 4900 block Strathmore Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 11100 block Rokeby Avenue/4700 Argyle Avenue (Garrett Park area).

Theft. 11300 block Rockville Pike (White Flint).

Vehicle burglary. 11400 block Commonwealth Drive (Tilden area).

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Theft. Home Depot, 7111 Westlake Terrace.

VEHICLE THEFT AT BETHESDA ES, 3 ASSAULTS & MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here is a list of crimes reported around Bethesda on September 7-8, 2013, according to crime data:

September 7

Theft. 5300 block Westbard Avenue.

Assault. 4900 block Earlston Drive (Green Acres area).

Assault/rape. Suburban Hospital. No details given, but remember that a sexual assault reported at the hospital does not necessarily mean the incident occurred at the hospital.

Assault. 4500 block Middleton Lane (downtown Bethesda area).

September 8

Vehicle theft. Bethesda ES.

Vehicle burglary. 11500 block Rockville Pike (White Flint area).