Vehicles ransacked in Massachusetts Avenue corridor of Bethesda

Two thieves targeted vehicles in neighborhoods along Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda during broad daylight on December 3, 2025, Montgomery County police report. They were successful in obtaining stolen property and cash from inside of unlocked vehicles on Massachusetts Avenue itself, on Wapakoneta Road in Mohican Hills, and on Falmouth Road in Spring Hill. The thefts took place between 9:00 AM and 12:46 PM. 

Police describe one suspect only as a Black male of unknown age, and have no physical description of the second suspect. If you have any information that could assist detectives in closing this case, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Assault in Spring Hill neighborhood of Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault in the Spring Hill community of Bethesda on the morning of June 19, 2024. The assault was reported along the street in the 5200 block of Falmouth Road at 10:15 AM. An individual was also accused of stealing property from a vehicle in the same incident. 

Speed limit reduced on Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda

The Maryland State Highway Administration has reduced the speed limit on Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda from 35 MPH to 30 MPH. New signage has been installed on the section of the state highway between Sangamore Road and Westmoreland Circle at the Maryland-Washington, D.C. border, with yellow tags that read, "NEW." 

The remainder of the road, a two-lane segment between Sangamore and Goldsboro Road, was already set at 30 MPH. This latest adjustment follows a more drastic speed limit reduction on River Road, from 45 to 35 MPH. As with River Road, there was no public process or advance notice of the plan to change the speed limit.

Car stolen on Cape Cod Court

Montgomery County police are investigating the theft of a vehicle in the Spring Hill/Westmoreland Hills area of Bethesda. The vehicle was taken from the driveway of a home in the 5100 block of Cape Cod Court, according to crime data. It is believed to have been stolen sometime between 10:00 PM last Saturday night, and 6:30 AM Sunday morning.

Three more cars stolen in Bethesda

Thieves strike in Massachusetts Ave.

corridor yet again

Summer is rapidly winding down, but the Massachusetts Avenue corridor of Bethesda remains a surprisingly risky place to park your car in 2020. Another car was stolen, this time from the driveway of a home in the 6000 block of Massachusetts Avenue itself early Tuesday morning.

Items were taken from a vehicle parked along the street in the 5200 block of Falmouth Road in Spring Hill on Monday. The thief or thieves appeared to strike some time between Monday night and Tuesday morning, taking property from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home in the 6200 block of Wiscasset Road, in the Glen Echo Heights area - and from another car not far away, in the 5200 block of Wapakoneta Road.

Two other cars were stolen in Bethesda over that same night. Both were in the Bradley Boulevard corridor, in the 5400 block of Burling Road in the Whitehall Manor area, and in the 6100 block of Temple Street in Bradmoor, 

Lock those car doors, remove all valuables visible in the interior, and don't leave your keys in the glove compartment or in the ignition!

AT&T proposes new cell antennas at Westmoreland Circle in Bethesda

AT&T is proposing to add new cell antennas "within" the steeple at the Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, at 1 Westmoreland Circle in Bethesda. Their plan includes adding three new antennas, and three new remote radio heads at 67' above ground level. Public feedback is restricted to any impacts you feel the antennas would have on nearby historic properties. EBI Consulting will receive any comments you have in that regard at 413-281-4650.

The Bethesda connection to Trump's choice for Russian ambassador

Jon Huntsman, Jr. who is reportedly President Donald Trump's choice to be the next ambassador to Russia, spent some of his childhood years in Bethesda. Huntsman's father, who invented the foam clamshell containers that used to keep McDonald's sandwiches and Chicken McNuggets hotter than today's paper wrappers, briefly moved to the D.C. area in 1971 to take a position at the White House.

The Huntsmans lived in the exclusive Spring Hill neighborhood off of Massachusetts Avenue. Jon Huntsman attended Westbrook Elementary School. He is one of the school's most notable alumni, having earned bipartisan respect for his record in challenging roles as governor of Utah, and as President Barack Obama's ambassador to China.

FAA drops flight path change over Bethesda

Residents have scored a temporary victory in the air wars over western Bethesda. The Federal Aviation Administration just announced it is dropping a proposed Reagan National Airport departure flight path change that would have increased airplane noise over western Bethesda neighborhoods along the Potomac River. Called LAZIR-B, the proposal went through an extensive review process and stirred outrage among affected Northwest D.C. and Bethesda neighborhoods. It would have moved the departure route closer to - and in some spots over - Bethesda homes.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center Director Ken Hartman represents Montgomery County on the Reagan National Community Noise Working Group. The group overwhelmingly endorsed two recommendations by Montgomery County, which would have kept planes as close to the center of the river as possible, at its November 3 meeting. Combined with overwhelming resident and official opposition, the result was the FAA canceling its plan, which had been advertised as increasing efficiency and lowering the environmental impacts of jet travel.

In a statement, the FAA said it would continue to support the efforts of the Community Noise Working Group.

Assault on Norfolk Ave., vehicle burglarized in Spring Hill + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on October 31, according to crime data:

Assault. 7900 block Norfolk Avenue.

Theft. 6900 block Arlington Road.

Drug arrest. East-West Highway at Connecticut Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Cardinal Court (Spring Hill).

Theft. 12000 block Rockville Pike.

2 cars stolen from Spring Hill, sex offense on Montrose Rd. + more - Bethesda crime update

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

Theft. 4400 block Willard Avenue.

Theft. Bloomingdale's.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Worthington Drive.

Vehicle burglary. 5200 block Belvoir Drive.

Stolen car. 5200 block Farrington Road (Spring Hill).

Stolen car. 5200 block Falmouth Road (Spring Hill).

Theft. 10600 block Montrose Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 11100 block Waycroft Way.

Vehicle burglary. 5800 block Edson Lane (Pike District).

Theft. 7600 block Carteret Road.

Other sexual offense. 6100 block Montrose Road.

Burglary. 10400 block Democracy Lane.

Theft. Giant at Montrose Crossing shopping center.

Burglary on Auburn Ave., vehicle burglary in Spring Hill + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on October 14, according to crime data:

Burglary. 4800 block Auburn Avenue.

Burglary. 3900 block Aspen Street.

Vehicle burglary. 3700 block Manor Road (Chevy Chase Lake).

Vehicle burglary. 8800 block Clifford Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 8800 block Clifford Avenue.

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

Theft. 5200 block Tuckerman Lane.

Vehicle burglary. Georgetown Square Shopping Center.

Theft. 10800 block Antigua Terrace.

Assault. 11300 block Schuylkill Road (Randolph Hills).

2 downtown Bethesda assaults, car stolen in Spring Hill, Apple Store theft + more - Bethesda crime update

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

Assault. 7700 block Woodmont Avenue at 2:43 AM.

Assault. 4700 block Montgomery Lane at 1:13 AM.

Stolen car. 5300 block Falmouth Road at 10:24 AM (Spring Hill).

Theft. 7200 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. Bethesda Row Apple Store at 5:02 PM.

Vehicle burglary. 5100 block Saratoga Avenue (Glen Cove).

Vehicle burglary. 4800 block Bayard Boulevard (Crestview).

Vehicle burglary. 4600 block Western Avenue (Crestview).

Theft. 10900 block Rockville Pike.

Assault. 11800 block Rockville Pike at 11:24 PM.

ASSAULT ON NEWPORT AVE., DRUG ARREST AT SUBURBAN HOSPITAL + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on January 27, according to crime data:

Theft. 7200 block Woodmont Avenue.

Burglary. 7100 block Woodmont Avenue.

Drug arrest. Suburban Hospital.

Vehicle burglary. 9400 block Old Georgetown Road.

Burglary. 3100 block Cummings Lane.

Assault. 4800 block Newport Avenue (Spring Hill).

Burglary. 5200 block Nahant Street.

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Cloister Drive.

Theft. 11300 block Schuylkill Road (Randolph Hills).

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

CRIME SPIKE CONTINUES IN W. BETHESDA - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

I'm continuing to follow a crime spike in the Massachusetts Avenue corridor of west Bethesda. A theft and stolen car on Saturday are the latest two incidents, as well as a theft on Duvall Drive on July 4.

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

Theft. 5500 block Christy Drive (Springfield).

Stolen car. 5200 block Farrington Road (Spring Hill).

Theft. 10700 block Mist Haven Terrace.

Burglary. 3900 block Woodlawn Road (North Chevy Chase).

Theft. 5400 block McGrath Boulevard.

CRIME WAVE CONTINUES IN WEST BETHESDA, ARREST AT GARAGE 40 + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

A minor crime wave continues to unfold in neighborhoods along Massachusetts Avenue in west Bethesda. Primarily burglaries or thefts from cars, the activity clearly suggests repeat customers are casing neighborhoods there. Westmoreland Hills is being particularly hard hit, with two more vehicle burglaries there last Thursday. A third vehicle was busted into next door in the Spring Hill subdivision. Be sure to report any suspicious persons or vehicles in the neighborhood to the Montgomery County Police immediately.

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on July 3, according to crime data:

Liquor arrest. Parking Garage 40 (4935 St. Elmo Avenue).

Theft. Sapphire Cafe.

Vehicle burglary. Cordell Avenue at Old Georgetown Road.

Burglary. 3500 block Dundee Driveway.

Theft. 8600 block Melwood Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5200 block Falmouth Road (Spring Hill).

Vehicle burglary. 5200 block Duvall Drive (Westmoreland Hills).

Vehicle burglary. 5400 block Duvall Drive (Westmoreland Hills).

Theft. DSW Warehouse.

Assault. 5400 block Marinelli Road.

Drug arrest. Westlake Drive at Westlake Terrace.

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.

ROBBERY ON BETHESDA RESIDENTIAL STREET - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

SECOND MASS. AVE

AREA ROBBERY IN

THREE WEEKS

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

A robbery occurred Saturday, October 6, in the 5100 block of Cammack Drive.  Cammack is a dead-end street with a cul-de-sac, and some very expensive homes, in the exclusive west Bethesda enclave of Spring Hill.

The incident was the second robbery in that area in the last three weeks.  It took place yards away from the first of those robberies, the September 15 pepper spray assault and robbery on Massachusetts Avenue, near Baltimore Avenue.  The suspect in that case was described as an adult white male, unshaven facial hair, and short hair.  He is still at large.  Could it have been the same guy?  There is no description of the newest robber to go by yet.

The best advice is to be alert for a man of that vague description, or any other suspicious person, particularly in the Massachusetts Avenue corridor.

BLING RING BURGLARS STRIKE AGAIN IN BETHESDA!

3 BETHESDA

HOMES BROKEN INTO,

10 THEFT RAMPAGE

ROCKS NEIGHBORHOODS

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

Just when Bethesda thought it was safe to go on vacation...

After a burglary occurred on Turnberry Drive near Congressional Country Club last Friday, Bethesda homeowners had no idea what the new week had in store.

Then, on Monday, July 23, the Bling Ring burglars struck two more wealthy neighborhoods, breaking into homes in the 6300 block of Lenox Road near Whitman High School, and in the 5100 block of Waukesha Road.  Both burglaries fit the pattern begun by recent break-ins at homes in swanky Kenwood and Spring Valley.

But a theft rampage on the same day only heightened the sense that, after a Pepco-derecho pause, the May-June crime wave could be reigniting in earnest.

SpotCrime data recorded nearly a dozen thefts, including a stolen car, across neighborhoods west of downtown Bethesda.  This included at least two thefts on Fairfax Road in the Edgemoor neighborhood that adjoins the Bethesda Row urban area.

Other neighborhoods getting a theft encore included Green Acres, Spring Hill and Somerset.

Do the Bling Ring burglaries have any relation to the theft rampage the same day/night?  That is unknown for now.

The important thing is to lock your doors and vehicles!

Here's a sampling of Bethesda thefts from Monday, July 23:

Theft.  5100 River Road.

Theft from vehicle.  5300 block of Saratoga Avenue.

Theft.  5400 block of Uppingham Street.

Theft from vehicle.  4800 block of Newport Ave.

Theft from vehicle.  4800 block of Langdrum Lane.

Stolen car.  4900 block of Crescent Street.

Theft from vehicle.  Ericsson Road.

Theft from vehicle.  7400 block of Nevis Road.

BETHESDA CROOKS GO HOG WILD IN THE HILLS!

If the last 7 weeks are any indication, it's going to be a long, hot summer of crime in the suburbs of Bethesda.

On Wednesday, thieves and burglars returned to the same neighborhoods yet again in Bethesda.

Before hitting the road again, they racked up 6 thefts and 2 burglaries.

Many of their favorite streets got a return visit.

Neighborhoods hit were Westmoreland Hills (just days after another spree), Spring Hill, Mohican Hills and Green Acres, where the crime wave first erupted in May.

Hog wild in The Hills!

The crime wave is calling new attention to the Montgomery County Council's decision to spend money on developers and other special interests, rather than on the public safety budget.

Wednesday, June 20

Theft from vehicle. 5400 block of Mohican Road.

Theft from vehicle. 5200 block of Portsmouth Road.

Theft from vehicle. 5400 block of Albemarle Street.

Theft from vehicle. 5200 block of Elliott Road.

Theft from vehicle. 5200 block of Farrington Road.

Theft from vehicle. 5300 block of Carvel Road.

Breaking and entering, burglary. 5300 block of Baltimore Avenue.

Breaking and entering, burglary. 4500 block of Cortland Road.