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.

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 from Bethesda home

A late summer resurgence of auto thieves in Bethesda continues to gain steam in some of their favorite grand theft locations, including the Massachusetts Avenue corridor. In the latest episode, Montgomery County police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in the Westgate neighborhood Thursday morning. The vehicle was taken from the driveway of a home in the 5000 block of Jamestown Road.

Grenade found in Bethesda backyard

A person digging in the yard of a home in the Westgate neighborhood of Bethesda yesterday discovered a grenade. The surprising find was unearthed around 5:30 PM yesterday in the 5300 block of Worthington Drive. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and Montgomery County police personnel responded to the scene, including explosive experts. MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer said that the grenade was determined to be inert, with no danger of exploding.

Shells fired from a World War I-era chemical weapons testing ground by American University have been found in Spring Valley, and as far away as the Maryland side of Dalecarlia Parkway, in the past. There is no indication at this time that the grenade has any association with those U.S. Army activities over 100 years ago.

Photos courtesy Pete Piringer/MCFRS

Thief strikes in Westgate area of Bethesda again

Thieves rifling through cars, and testing door handles, are still active in the Westgate area of the Massachusetts Avenue corridor in Bethesda in recent days. Items were reported stolen from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home in the 4900 block of Earlston Drive yesterday morning. The theft is believed to have taken place sometime between 5:00 PM Tuesday and 10:00 AM Wednesday morning.

Car stolen in Westgate area of Bethesda

Auto thieves are returning to the hot spots in Bethesda where they ran wild for much of 2020 in the new year. After a 2021 encore in the Bradley Boulevard corridor, they have ventured back to the Massachusetts Avenue corridor. 

A vehicle was taken from the driveway of a home in the 5100 block of Newport Avenue in the Westgate neighborhood late this week. It is believed to have been stolen sometime between 9:00 PM Thursday night, and 6:00 AM Friday morning.

Thief rummages through cars in Glen Cove, Westgate neighborhoods of Bethesda

Glen Cove and Westgate were struck by a thief looking for items in cars Tuesday in southwest Bethesda. Items were reported stolen from vehicles parked in the 5000 block of Smallwood Drive and 5200 block of Baltimore Avenue in Glen Cove, and in the 5000 block of Rodman Road in Westgate. According to crime data, the thefts may have occurred over the night between May 4 and May 5; the police were called on the 5th.

During the same timeframe, another car was damaged and burglarized not far away in the 4600 block of Langdrum Lane in Chevy Chase. If you have a car parked in any of these areas, check to see if any valuables were taken, and don't forget to lock your car and hide any visible items in the cabin.

Tornado-like destruction in Westgate neighborhood of Bethesda

A fast-moving, nearly-silent storm whisked through Bethesda early this morning around 3:00 AM. It appears to have spawned a small tornado or straight-line wind gust in the Westgate neighborhood off of Massachusetts Avenue.

Trees and limbs were brought down on homes, yards and cars on Newport Avenue at Earlston Drive, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Pete Piringer. I heard the wind, and it sounded highly unusual. I expected there could be a tornado imminent, but never heard the typical roaring sound one would generate. But the wind was one continuous gust that never let up for about 90 seconds. I heard no thunder and saw no lightning.

Photo by Pete Piringer/MCFRS

Assault on St. Elmo Ave., items taken from cars on Woodmont, Westbard + more - Bethesda crime update

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

Assault. St. Elmo Avenue at Woodmont Avenue at 1:58 AM.

Theft from vehicle. 7200 block Woodmont Avenue.

Kidnapping. 7200 block Wisconsin Avenue at 1:42 PM.

Kidnapping. 5300 block Westbard Avenue at 6:42 PM.

Vehicle burglary. 3400 block Thornapple Street (Martin's Additions).

Theft from vehicle. 5300 block Westbard Avenue at 2:45 PM.

Theft. 5300 block Western Avenue.

Theft. 5100 block Baltimore Avenue (Westgate).

Vehicle burglary. 5800 block Edson Lane (Old Georgetown Village).

Drug arrest. I-270 off-ramp at Montrose Road.

Drug arrest. 9900 block Mayfield Drive at 9:45 PM (Georgetown Village).

Assault. 12000 block Rockville Pike (Pike District).

Kidnapping. 12400 block Village Square Terrace.

Cars stolen from Chevy Chase West, Westgate; Assault on Old Georgetown Rd. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on July 15, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Assault. 7900 block Old Georgetown Road.

Stolen car. 4800 block Drummond Avenue at 9:00 AM (Chevy Chase West).

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Uppingham Street (Somerset).

Theft from vehicle. 4900 block Crescent Street (Crestview).

Vehicle burglary. 6100 block Wynnwood Road at 7:58 AM (Wood Acres).

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Allan Road (Westgate).

Drug arrest. Goldsboro Road at Redwing Road.

Stolen car. 5100 block Worthington Drive at 7:19 AM (Westgate).

Burglary in Glen Echo Heights, auto break-ins in East Bethesda + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 7, according to crime data:

Disorderly conduct. Woodmont Avenue at St. Elmo Avenue.

Liquor arrest. Highland Avenue at Wisconsin Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4600 block Chestnut Street.

Vehicle burglary. 4700 block Bradley Boulevard.

Vehicle burglary. 4300 block Rosedale Avenue.

Theft from vehicle. 5000 block Rodman Road at 9:27 AM (Westgate).

Burglary. 6000 block Namakagan Road at 5:59 PM (Glen Echo Heights).

Drug arrest. Beach Drive at Knowles Avenue (Rock Creek Park).

Sex offense on St. Elmo Ave., assault on Cordell Ave. + much more - Bethesda crime update

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

"Other sexual offense." 4900 block St. Elmo Avenue at 12:22 AM.

Theft. 7800 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 7700 block Woodmont Avenue.

Disorderly conduct. Parking Garage 40 (Cordell-St. Elmo Garage).

Disorderly conduct. Hampden Lane at Woodmont Avenue.

Assault. 4800 block Cordell Avenue at 2:18 AM.

Drug arrest. 4900 block Battery Lane.

Theft. 7000 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 8500 block Connecticut Avenue.

Assault. 4500 block Willard Avenue at 12:53 PM.

Theft from vehicle. 5100 block Allan Terrace at 9:39 PM (Westgate).

Theft from vehicle. 5300 block Westbard Avenue at 8:08 PM.

Burglary. 5000 block Westport Road at 3:31 PM (Brookdale).

Drug arrest. 5300 block Westbard Avenue.

Theft. White Flint Mall.

Theft. 7400 block River Road (near Burdette Road).

ASSAULT ON PARKLAWN DR., VEHICLE BREAK-IN ON JAMESTOWN RD + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

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

Theft. 7200 block Marbury Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Jamestown Road (Westgate).

Assault. 11800 block Parklawn Drive (Pike District).

ASSAULT ON WOODMONT AVE., BURGLARY ON ALLAN RD. + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on February 28, according to crime data:

Burglary. 5100 block Allan Road (Westgate).

Assault. 7200 block Woodmont Avenue at 1:43 AM.

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Liquor arrest. 11800 block Grand Park Avenue (Pike & Rose).

Liquor arrest. 11800 block Grand Park Avenue.

ASSAULT ON EAST-WEST HWY., THEFTS IN MASS. AVE. CORRIDOR + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

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

Assault. 4300 block East-West Highway at 10:08 AM.

Theft. 8600 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft from vehicle. 6500 block Broxburn Drive at 10:46 AM (Flint Hill).

Theft from vehicle. 6200 block Walhonding Road at 2:48 PM (Glen Echo Heights).

Theft. 5200 block Wissioming Road at 7:13 AM (Glen Echo Heights).

Theft. 5100 block Baltimore Avenue at 2:55 PM (Westgate).

Theft. 10400 block Grosvenor Place at 10:01 AM.

Assault. Randolph Road and Parkland Drive (Pike District).

DISORDERLY WOODMONT TRIANGLE, DRUG ARREST ON TUCKERMAN LA. + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

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

Theft. 7700 block Woodmont Avenue.

Disorderly conduct. Fairmont Avenue at Norfolk Avenue.

Disorderly conduct. St. Elmo Avenue at Norfolk Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4400 block Montgomery Avenue.

Theft. 6800 block Fairfax Road (Edgemoor).

Vehicle burglary. 4100 block Leland Street.

Vehicle burglary. 5000 block Keokuk Street (Westgate).

Vehicle burglary. 8900 block Bradmoor Road (Bradmoor).

Vehicle burglary. 7500 block Ben Avon Road (Bannockburn).

Drug arrest. 6100 block Tuckerman Lane.

Vehicle burglary. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.