VRE Parking Lot Crime An Ongoing Nuisance

City of Fredericksburg Police have filed 23 reports of motor vehicle vandalism and larceny-theft in the city's Virginia Railway Express (VRE) parking lots between July 1 and Dec. 13, 2013.

"Some of the reports represent multiple victims," said Natatia Bledsoe, Fredericksburg police public information officer.  For example, an officer responding to the VRE Lot at 399 Prince Edward St. on Nov. 29 found three vehicles with broken windows. 

That same day in the VRE Lot at 400 Sophia St., a commuter reported an unknown person smashed two windows on his vehicle. The investigating officer found a second vehicle in the lot with similar damage.

"About half of the larceny reports -- items taken -- also had incidents of vandalism," Bledsoe said.  Vandalism includes windows broken. 

A review of police reports shows most of the crime has occurred in the parking lot at 399 Prince Edward St.

"As resources allow, we have had and continue to have officers patrolling the lots, both in uniform and in plain clothes, due to the number of incidents," Bledsoe said.

VRE Deputy CEO Rich Dalton is aware of the crime in Fredericksburg lots.  "We are in contact and working with state and local police in ongoing efforts to catch the perpetrators and curb the crime," Dalton told Fredericksburg Patch.  "We have countermeasures in place, and an arrest has been made."

In October, Fredericksburg Police arrested a 17-year-old male for some of the offenses.  "He was charged as a juvenile for at least two counts of destruction of property and tampering with a vehicle, and subsequently incarcerated at the Juvenile Detention Center," Bledsoe said.

A second arrest was announced Dec. 16.  "We recently identified a second 17-year-old male as an additional suspect," Bledsoe said.  "He has been arrested and is incarcerated at the Juvenile Detention Center."

VRE riders can help deter crime by hiding all valuables (including change), ensuring no cords or suction-cup marks from cords are showing, and locking doors.