Final Week for Reston Community Center Preference Poll — Three incumbents are seeking to return to the Reston Community Center Board of Governors, and the community preference poll that guides the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in its choices ends this week. Each property in Small District 5 (SD5) is to have received a ballot in the mail. Mail-in ballots must be received by no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28, while walk-in and online ballots can be submitted through 5 p.m. the following day. [Reston Now]

Herndon Police Collect Items for Hurricane Relief — The department collected the items to send to Puerto Rico and help residents there recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria. [Herndon Police/Twitter]

SAIC Gets $250M USDA Contract — The Reston-based technology integrator was awarded the blanket purchase agreement to provide enterprise architecture and security support services to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. [Digital Journal]

Homeowners Save With Solar Energy — According to Fairfax County, 47 homeowners who signed contracts for discounted systems through Solarize Fairfax County will save about $1,250 per year on their electric bills. [Fairfax County]

Tree Management Workshop Set for Wednesday — Bartlett Tree Experts will discuss tree inventories, management plans and basic tree care during the event at Reston Association headquarters. [Reston Association/Twitter]

UPDATE: Thank you to our community for the assistance. Jessiah McCollum has returned home. #herndonpd pic.twitter.com/mh8azIaZWo

— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) September 26, 2017

The Herndon Police Department is asking for the public’s help to find a runaway juvenile from the community.

According to a flyer released by HPD on Twitter, 13-year-old Jessiah Maurice McCollum has been gone from his home at 565 Florida Ave. for more than two weeks. He was last seen at about 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8.

McCollum is black, 5 feet 11 inches tall and about 140 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Information on the flyer states that he is “believed to be in the Reston, VA area.”

Anyone with information about McCollum’s whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Mike Croson at 571-237-4987 or [email protected], or call the police department at 703-435-6846.

County Meeting on PRC Zoning Ordinance Amendment Tonight — Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and staff from Fairfax County’s Department of Planning & Zoning will host a community meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Lake Anne Elementary School (11510 North Shore Drive). They will discuss a proposed zoning ordinance amendment that would increase the cap on density in Reston’s Planned Residential Community, among other changes. [Reston Now]

SLHS Football Suffers First Loss of Season — The Seahawks were upset Friday night by the Centreville Wildcats, 30-14. Statistical leaders for SLHS included running back Spencer Alston (6 carries for 58 yards, 3 catches for 35 yards, 1 TD); running back Albert Mensah (13 carries for 29 yards); and punter Evan Matthes (56.3-yard average on 4 punts). South Lakes is now 4-1 on the season and next plays Oct. 6, homecoming, against Langley. [South Lakes Athletics]

Fairfax County Home Prices Rise — County home prices were up $20,000 in August compared to the same month last year. The median sale prices in August 2017 was $505,000. [Reston Patch]

Car Tax Due Date Coming Up — The deadline for vehicle owners to pay their bill is Thursday, Oct. 5, and residents are being reminded not to wait until the last minute. [Fairfax County]

Reston Man Named to State Commission — Khurrum H. Khan of Reston, president of OurKare of Herndon, has been appointed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to Virginia’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Commission. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Herndon Officer Participates in ‘Rodeo’ — Senior Police Officer Ron Eicke participated in the recent Mid-Atlantic Police Rodeo, along with other police representatives from across the region. [Herndon Police/Facebook]

A Lake Anne-area resident was robbed while he slept last week.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, officers responded to the 11400 block of Waterview Cluster early Sept. 5 to a report of a burglary. The victim said he went to bed at about 11 p.m. the previous night and, while he was in bed, someone entered his home and stole his car keys, wallet and two laptops before leaving in his car.

Police say the victim’s car was later recovered and searched for evidence. No suspect information is available, they say.

A pair of midday burglaries in the Great Falls area were also reported to FCPD last Thursday. Police say that between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., jewelry was stolen from a home in the 10000 block of Columbine Street while its occupants were out shopping; also, between noon and 6 p.m., jewelry, handbags and alcohol were stolen from a home in the 900 block of Redberry Court while the occupant was at work.

FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following crimes in the past week:

LARCENIES:

2100 block of Astoria Circle, package from residence

11300 block of Baron Cameron Avenue, purse from vehicle

2200 block of Centreville Road, wallet from residence

1300 block of Dasher Lane, computers from vehicle

11900 block of Democracy Drive, phone from person

12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, merchandise from business

2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, beer from business

11700 block of Indian Ridge Road, wallet from person

2400 block of Masons Ferry Drive, wallet from residence

11700 block of North Shore Drive, property from vehicle

9200 block of Old Dominion Drive, wallet from vehicle

1500 block of Old Eaton Lane, property from residence

11600 block of Plaza America Drive, cellphone from business

2200 block of Rock Hill Road, money from business

11400 block of South Lakes Drive, cellphone from business

11800 block of Spectrum Center, merchandise from business

11700 block of Stevenage Road, purse from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

None reported

As we’ve already reported, FCPD also responded this past week to reports of gunfire near the South Gate Community Center and a woman found eating pizza late at night in someone else’s house.

Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

In Herndon, HPD says a commercial burglary took place in the 1200 block of Herndon Parkway on Labor Day. An unknown suspect or suspects broke a window, entered the business, and stole a computer and cash valued at approximately $250. The case remains under investigation, HPD says.

Then, in the 400 block of Madison Forest Drive on Saturday, HPD says a caller reported a suspect was spotted stealing items from an open car. Several other vehicles, mostly unlocked, in the area were also entered. A total of more than $800 worth of property was stolen, police say, and some was recovered after the suspect fled. An FCPD helicopter and K9 unit assisted in the search for the suspect, but he was not found. HPD says the suspect “is described as possibly being a Hispanic male in his mid- 20s wearing dark clothing and a baseball cap.” This case remains under investigation as well.

In Loudoun County, police say they responded to the 43000 block of Watercrest Square in Chantilly at about 2 a.m. Sunday for a report of a man “ringing the doorbells and acting disorderly.” Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the suspect — 30-year-old Corey P. Robertson of Herndon — and they say he “resisted arrested and he did not comply with lawful commands from the deputy.” Robertson was charged with assault on law enforcement, obstruction of justice and public intoxication and was released on a personal recognizance bond.

Police say a Herndon man sprayed a group of middle-schoolers with pepper spray while on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Ashburn last week.

According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, 47-year-old Marcos A. Catalan sprayed the kids as he passed by them on a bicycle in the area of Gloucester Parkway at about 4:05 p.m. Thursday:

A group of middle-school aged children were in the area of the Washington and Old Dominion trail. A cyclist approached and reportedly was holding a can in his hand. As the cyclist passed, he sprayed what the juveniles believed to be pepper spray in the direction of several of the children. Deputies located the cyclist in the area of the W & OD trail and Ruritan Circle.

Two girls were taken to a local hospital and treated, according to police. Catalan was charged with two counts of malicious injury by use of caustic substance, along with one count of attempted malicious injury in the same manner.

Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following crimes in the past week:

LARCENIES:

2200 block of Centreville Road, wallet from residence

1400 block of Church Hill Place, property from residence

11900 block of Democracy Drive, purse from business

11500 block of Embers Court, cash from vehicle

2400 block of Fieldcreek Drive, property from vehicle

13100 block of Fox Hunt, bicycle from residence

9800 block of Georgetown Pike, wallet from business

11100 block of Glade Drive, guns from vehicle

500 block of Herndon Parkway, wallet from person

11900 block of Heathcote Court, wallet from vehicle

10800 block of Hunter Gate Way, property from vehicle

2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, merchandise from business

2000 block of Lake Audubon Court, laptop computer from vehicle

11100 block of Longwood Grove Drive, property from vehicle

11500 block of Maple Ridge Road, laptop from vehicle

11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business

1000 block of Murphy Drive, merchandise from business

1300 block of New Bedford Lane, wallet from vehicle

1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business

1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business

11600 block of Sourwood Lane, wallet from vehicle

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, property from residence

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, property from residence

11000 block of Thrush Ridge Road, laptop computer from vehicle

2100 block of Whisperwood Glen Lane, property from residence

2300 block of White Tail, sunglasses from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

2000 block of Lake Audubon Court, 2015 Hyundai Tucson

2200 block of Lofty Heights Place, 2009 Chevy Silverado

FCPD also reports that a burglary took place in the 11400 block of Links Drive between Sunday and Monday. According to the report, a resident returning home from a trip found that someone had entered his residence and stolen a laptop.

Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

In Herndon, HPD says a robbery took place on Aug. 28 after two people provided a ride to a pair of strangers. When they arrived at the destination, in the 500 block of Florida Avenue, three suspects robbed the victims of personal property valued at about $125. The suspects are described as tall black males; one was wearing a white tank top, one was wearing a green hoodie and the third was wearing a buttoned-down shirt. The case remains under investigation.

In Loudoun County, in addition to the above W&OD Trail incident, several other recent crimes ended with arrests of men from Herndon.

Police have been busy responding to crime in Reston in the past week.

In recent days, we have reported on vehicle break-ins and gunshots on Vantage Hill Road and an attempted robbery in the Hunters Woods Village Center. Plus, as reported this morning, an arrest was made in the attempted sexual assault earlier this month in the Tall Oaks area.

In addition to all this, the Fairfax County Police Department says a pair of bicycles were stolen from a South Reston home earlier this month.

According to an FCPD press release, the thefts took place between Aug. 3 and Aug. 22 from a residence in the 12100 block of Stirrup Road. Police say “items inside a home were moved around and two bikes were reported missing from the garage.”

The FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following crimes in recent days:

LARCENIES:

2400 block of Alsop Court, wallet from vehicle

2600 block of Bastian Lane, bicycle from residence

1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, property from person

11500 block of Hemingway Drive, property from vehicle

2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, alcohol from business

11500 block of North Shore Drive, wallet from residence

1500 block of North Village Road, sunglasses from vehicle

13100 block of Parcher Avenue, merchandise from business

12600 block of Pinecrest Road, property from vehicle

11500 block of Red Leaf Court, property from vehicle

2000 block of Royal Fern Court, property from vehicle

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, merchandise from business

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business

12600 block of Terrymill Drive, property from vehicle

1400 block of Waterfront Road, property from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

None reported

Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

Meanwhile, in the Town of Herndon, police say a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle last week on Herndon Parkway. According to Lt. Stephen Thompson, the incident occurred at about 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23 near the intersection with Ferndale Avenue.

“The driver remained on scene, and our accident reconstruction unit is still investigating,” Thompson said. “Right now, there are no charges.”

The pedestrian who was struck was taken to Reston Hospital Center’s emergency room with trauma to her head.

The Herndon Police Department is looking for new officers to join its force.

According to the job listing on the Town’s website, the position pays about $53,000 in base salary, with additional pay contingent upon qualifications. In a post on Facebook, the Department says those incentives are provided based upon years of law enforcement experience, college education, military service and bilingual ability.

“We are always accepting applications for certified and non-certified applicants,” said Lisa Herndon, HPD public information specialist. “This post serves to let officers with [Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services] certifications know we are accepting applications for lateral transfers.”

For more information about what it takes to be part of Herndon’s police agency, call 703-435-6824. For more information about HPD, visit its website.

Photo collage via Herndon Police Department on Facebook

Police are still seeking the suspect in last week’s attempted sexual assault on North Shore Drive near Tall Oaks Village Center.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the suspect is a Hispanic male in his late 20s or early 30s, with a stocky build, brown hair and a full beard. He was wearing a gray shirt with red lettering, a red ball cap (shown in a police sketch as a Washington Nationals cap) and shorts.

The suspect fled the scene in a gray or silver four-door Hyundai with a license plate that is believed to begin with a V, police say.

Police say that at about 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 14, the suspect came out of a wooded area near the Tall Oaks Village Center, approached a 22-year-old woman from behind and pulled her off the sidewalk into the woods before attempting to remove her clothes. He apparently fled before any sexual assault took place.

The FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following crimes in recent days:

LARCENIES:

1300 block of Dasher Lane, property from vehicle

13000 block of Elm Tree Drive, bag from vehicle

10800 block of Hunter Gate Way, flashlight from vehicle

2500 block of Monroe Street, property from residence

10800 block of Murray Downs Court, cash from vehicle

10800 block of Murray Downs Court, property from vehicle

11700 block of Olde English Drive, package from residence

12800 block of Pinecrest Road, purse and cash from vehicle

12800 block of Pinecrest Road, purse from vehicle

13100 block of Plotner Farm Road, GPS from vehicle

2300 block of Soapstone Drive, cigarettes from business

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, electronics from business

11600 block of Vantage Hill Road, laptop computer from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

2500 block of Centreville Road, 2002 Mercedes-Benz C240

2000 block of Gunnell Farms Drive, 2015 Jeep Wrangler

Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

Police in Herndon reported several major incidents in their weekly press report.

• On Thursday, officers responded to a report of a burglary in progress in the 500 block of Florida Avenue. The victim reported that an unknown suspect tried to gain access to the dwelling, doing approximately $1,000 worth of damage to a rear door. The FCPD helicopter and K-9 unit were used in an attempt to locate the suspect, to no avail.
• Also on Thursday, officers responded to a robbery on in the 1000 block of Elden Street. The victim reported that his backpack, containing identification and a cellphone valued around $500, was stolen by two suspects. The suspects were described as black males, with no further description.
• At about 1 a.m. Friday, officers observed a vehicle driving erratically in the 1000 block of Elden Street. The suspect attempted to evade police before getting crashing his vehicle behind a business in the block. The driver, 25-year-old Elmer Luis Matamoros Aguirre, of Herndon, was charged with felony eluding, driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to breath test and no operator’s license. He was transported to the Fairfax Adult Detention Center, where he was held without bond.
• Friday afternoon, as we previously reported, police responded to an apparent armed robbery of a check-cashing business in the 1100 block of Elden Street. Four suspects fled the scene on foot.

Police in Herndon are looking for four men they say robbed a check-cashing business on Elden Street in the town Friday afternoon.

According to a media release from HPD, officers responded to the business in the 1100 block of the street at about 12:15 p.m. for a report of an armed robbery. Preliminary investigation revealed that the men may have been armed when they entered the business and took an unknown amount of money. No one was injured, and the men reportedly fled on foot.

Lisa Herndon, public information specialist for HPD, told Reston Now the incident took place at the check-cashing business at 1110 Elden St., which she said has been robbed “several times” in the past.

Patrol officers from the Fairfax County Police Department, along with their helicopter and K-9 Unit, assisted in the initial search for the suspects. HPD is continuing the investigation.

The suspects, who were all wearing masks, are described as all being about 5-foot-6, 135-150 pounds.

• The first suspect was wearing a maroon shirt, blue jeans and black tennis shoes.
• The second suspect was wearing dark-colored jeans.
• The third suspect was wearing a blue short-sleeved polo shirt, jeans and dark shoes.
• The fourth suspect was wearing a long-sleeved green shirt, dark pants, sunglasses and a backpack.

In a tweet, HPD said there is no threat to the community.

HPD is working a robbery. No further details are available at this time and there is no threat to the public.

— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) August 18, 2017

Anyone with information should contact HPD at 703-435-6828.

Two people from Ashburn were arrested in Herndon last week after a robbery in the town.

According to the Herndon Police Department, the incident took place in the 500 block of Florida Avenue on Aug. 7. The victim, who was unharmed, had his wallet, ID and about $40 in cash stolen by two suspects.

HPD officers arrested 19-year-old Taliek Nazia Foster and 20-year-old Raaheim Allah Foster and charged them with the crime. Both were charged with assault and robbery, while the 20-year-old was also charged with three counts of credit card fraud. Both were taken to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Elsewhere, a 55-year-old Herndon man was charged with driving under the influence after an incident in Sterling last week. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, 55-year-old Nazlie R. Dean was charged after deputies observed his vehicle going off the road in the area of Old Ox Road and Mercurie Circle. Dean was later released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.

Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following crimes in recent days:

LARCENIES:

10300 block of Brittenford Drive, merchandise from business

1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, cellphone from business

11900 block of Democracy Drive, liquor from business

13300 block of Hungerford Place, property from vehicle

2300 block of Old Trail Drive, property from person

11900 block of Saint Johnsbury Court, cash from vehicle

11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, property from business

1700 block of Wainwright Drive, bag and battery from vehicle

12900 block of Wood Crescent Circle, bicycle from residence

STOLEN VEHICLES:

None reported

Police say there have been no updates yet in the search for a suspect who pulled a woman into a wooded area near Tall Oaks Village Center on Monday afternoon and attempted to remove her clothing.

“No suspect has been located,” Officer Don Gotthardt, of FCPD’s Media Relations Bureau, told Reston Now on Tuesday morning. “I have reached out to our detectives asking for any updates [and] we will post those on our news blog and Twitter.”

The suspect has been described as a Hispanic male in his late 20s or early 30s, with brown hair and a full beard. He was wearing a gray shirt with red lettering, a red ball cap and shorts. He fled the scene in a gray or silver Hyundai with a license plate that is believed to begin with a V, police say.

Finally, as we previously reported, three men were reportedly assaulted by a “group of men” on South Lakes Drive last Wednesday. The suspects in that crime are black men in their 20s, all between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-10.

Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

A Reston resident was awakened early Monday morning by a surprise banging on her front door.

The Fairfax County Police Department reports that a resident in the 10900 block of Wilder Point Lane heard the noise at about 4 a.m. Monday. She went to the front door and while no one was there, the door was discovered to have been damaged.

FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following crimes in recent days:

LARCENIES:

1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, wallet from residence

2200 block of Centreville Road, money from business

10100 block of Cottesmore Court, bracelet from residence

3100 block of Fox Hunt Lane, bicycles from parking garage

2500 block of James Madison Circle, computer from vehicle

12000 block of Market Street, property from vehicle

1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business

11100 block of South Lakes Drive, merchandise from business

1600 block of Wainwright Drive, electronic from vehicle

1400 block of Waterview Cluster, purse from vehicle

STOLEN VEHICLES:

None reported

Anyone with information about any of these crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

In the Town of Herndon, police say a garage in the 300 block of Marjorie Lane was broken into July 23. According to the report, the thief entered through a secured door and stole a mountain bike valued at $240 along with $500 worth of additional property. The case is under investigation.

Lake Anne Plaza will host its first National Night Out block party Tuesday evening, one of several celebrations slated throughout the area.

The goal of National Night Out is to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while celebrating a sense of community. Its intent is to provide an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

At Lake Anne Plaza, beginning at 4 p.m., National Night Out events will include kids’ activities, dance crews, a DJ and live music, food specials, a moon bounce, hula demos and more.

https://www.facebook.com/LakeAnnePlaza/photos/a.354780794663.190159.200248314663/10155569792114664/?type=3&theater

For the third straight year, the Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition will sponsor a midday National Night Out event, beginning at noon. Several other National Night Out events will take place in Reston, including an evening program at the Southgate Community Center.

In Herndon, National Night Out will be observed from 4:30-8:30 p.m., and HPD will begin by visiting the Harbor House. From there, two motorcades will visit 14 more neighborhoods throughout the town.

“This annual event is one of the highlights of year for the police department and another great opportunity to further enhance the our partnership with the community,” HPD says.

The Fairfax County Police Department will visit as many activities around the county as possible.

National Night Out was first observed in 1984. Thousands of communities across the United States, Canada and worldwide military bases participate in National Night Out each year.

A home was forcefully broken into last week near Herndon.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the incident took place in the 12800 block of Graypine Place sometime between 9 a.m. June 28 and 11 p.m. June 30. Police say someone forced entry into the home and stole jewelry, gold coins and power tools.

The Reston District Station of FCPD also reported the following larcenies over the holiday weekend:

LARCENIES: 

11500 block of Buttonwood Court, property from residence

1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, property from residence

1400 block of Church Hill Place, wheels and rims from vehicle

2400 block of Corn Crib Court, property from residence

600 block of Dranesville Road, electronic device from school

11600 block of Golf Course Square, property from vehicle

2100 block of Greenkeepers Court, property from vehicle

2100 block of Greenkeepers Court, jewelry from vehicle

12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, cellphone from business

12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, wallet from business

12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, wallet from business

1900 block of Hunter Mill Road, property from residence

2500 block of John Milton Drive, liquor from business

2300 block of Nashua Court, credit card from residence

13100 block of Parcher Avenue, cellphone from business

1300 block of Pellow Circle, property from residence

2300 block of Soapstone Drive, cigarettes from business

11100 block of South Lakes Drive, liquor from business

11700 block of Stevenage Road, purse from vehicle

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, merchandise from business

12600 block of Thunder Chase Drive, license plates from vehicle

11500 block of Waterhaven Court, bicycle from residence

1800 block of Wiehle Avenue, cigarettes from business

STOLEN VEHICLES: 

None reported

Anyone with information about any of the incidents reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

In the Town of Herndon, thousands of dollars in jewelry was stolen from a home in the 800 block of Sycamore Court last month. Police say someone entered the home on June 14 and removed two cardboard boxes full of jewelry, valued at about $3,000. However, the victim — who didn’t report the incident until June 20 — declined any further investigation.

In addition, a Herndon man was charged in Loudoun County last week after a reported larceny at Dulles Town Center. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office reported on June 29 at about 10 a.m. to the Sears department store. The suspect in the larceny, 37-year-old Eric Campos of Herndon, was found in the area of Lakeland Drive and Route 7. Campos was arrested and charged with grand larceny and driving on a revoked license. He was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.

A local woman nearly became a victim to a trending child abduction scam, police say.

The woman says she received a phone call last week stating that her daughter had been kidnapped and that she would need to wire money to Mexico for her release. Police confirmed that the child was indeed safe and that this was a hoax meant to extort money from the victim.

A phone call of this type has been one of many in the area, police confirmed last month. If you receive a phone call like this, do not wire any money. Rather, immediately notify the police and check to see if your child is OK.

“These scammers will try to keep you on the phone with them so you cannot call police or anyone else and keep your mind distracted and frazzled for fear of your child’s safety,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

FCPD also reported in the past week:

LARCENIES: 

10300 block of Brittenford Drive, purse from vehicle

1700 block of Business Center Drive, cash from business

2200 block of Castle Rock Square, cellphone from residence

2500 block of Centreville Road, merchandise from business

13000 block of Henson Court, wallet from business

9800 block of Mill Run Drive, bag from vehicle

11500 block of North Shore Drive, bicycle from school

10700 block of Park Ridge Boulevard, wallet from vehicle

12300 block of Pinecrest Road, laptop computer from vehicle

11100 block of South Lakes Drive, beer from business

11100 block of South Lakes Drive, wallet from business

STOLEN VEHICLE: 

11300 block of French Horn Lane, 2007 Lexus ES350

Anyone with information about any of the incidents reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

In other crime news, a Herndon resident was detained early Saturday in Loudoun County after police say she was found drunk in public after an altercation in the One Loudoun plaza. Elizabeth A. Bellamy, 20, was arrested along with Bryan M. Moses, 25, of Maryland following the incident. Both were released on personal recognizance bonds.

Also, there there were two robberies recently in the Town of Herndon.

On June 15, police say an unknown suspect approached a woman in the 600 block of Center Street and demanded her phone. When she refused, police say she was pushed and the perpetrator snatched the phone, valued at $600, from her hand before riding away on a bicycle. The suspect is described as a juvenile Hispanic male. He was last seen wearing a dark flat-brimmed ball cap, dark T-shirt and dark pants. The case is still under investigation.

The next day, there was an armed robbery at a business in the shopping center in the 1100 block of Elden Street. Four suspects entered the business with handguns and wearing masks. Some were also wearing black pants. They took an undisclosed amount of money and they also took the store’s video surveillance system. All of the suspects spoke Spanish, police say. The case is also still under investigation.

Summer is officially here, and Operation Chill is back! Officers will be handing out tickets to kids when they see positive behavior. pic.twitter.com/nzDvqP41DB

— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) June 21, 2017

This summer, the Herndon Police Department is ticketing children.

The catch? Rather than punishing bad behavior, the tickets reward good behavior with a free 12-ounce 7-Eleven Slurpee at any participating store.

The program is called Operation Chill and has been around for more than 20 years. It includes hundreds of law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada.

“Operation Chill is a partnership between 7-Eleven and local law enforcement,” said Jane Ross, HPD public information specialist. “Its purpose is to encourage children to be good citizens and to help reduce crime and enhance relationships between police and youth.”

Whenever officers spot children engaging in model behavior, such as playing together nicely or cleaning up after themselves, officers will hand them tickets.

Millions of the Operation Chill tickets have been distributed nationwide in the program’s history. Officers will continue to give out tickets to children until they run out. The coupons are good through the end of the year.

“We love anything that can help that crossover between us and the kids,” Ross said. “All of our officers love interacting with the kids in the town. I think it’s one of their favorite things to do.”

(Note: According to Tawny Wright, public information officer for the Fairfax County Police Department, FCPD is not participating in Operation Chill this summer.)