Crime & Safety

Falls Church Business Hit by Robbers Twice in as Many Months

Fairfax County Police say robberies not connected.

Rosa Torres arrived in the United States in 1986 from El Salvador in search of a life full of opportunities. About 16-years ago, she opened the at 6178 Arlington Blvd. in Falls Church.

After her store was robbed at gunpoint twice within the last two months, Torres is considering closing up shop.

“She doesn’t want to do it anymore,” said Belinda Marquina, Torres’ daughter. “There have been robberies, but not like this.”

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The store has been robbed by gun wielding groups of men twice in as many months – Dec. 10 and Feb. 7. Four men robbed the store on Dec. 10 and only three men robbed the store Feb. 7. No one was seriously hurt in either robbery, Marquina said, but at least $50,000 in cash has been stolen in the two robberies and she estimates more than $100,000 in jewelry was stolen. Marquina said her mother was in the store during the Dec. 10 robbery and was tied up while the men stole $3,000 in cash and other merchandise. Fairfax County Police Officer Shelley Broderick said investigators don’t believe the two heists are related.

Located in bustling shopping center, the Steven Shop sells clothing and jewelry. Marquina, who said her mother speaks very little English, said both robberies happened during the day.

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On Feb. 7 just after noon, three men walked into the store and demanded money from an employee of the business. The men ordered the woman to open the safe and when they noticed she tried to trip the store’s alarm system, one of the men punched her in the face, Marquina said. The woman was also pepper sprayed, she said. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, police said. In all, $48,000 in cash from weekend money wiring transactions to foreign countries was stolen, Marquina said.

“The man told her ‘I should kill you’,” Marquina said.

The three men are described as either white or Hispanic. Two of the men are believed to be between 20 and 30-years-old with brown eyes, about 5 feet 9 inches tall each and between 160 and 180 pounds, Broderick said. The third man was believed to be in his late 30s, between 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, brown eyes and about 180 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information about the Feb. 7 or Dec. 10 robbery should call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or send an e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org. You can also send a text message to TIP187 and your message to CRIME (274637). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward between $100 and $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. All callers can remain anonymous.


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