A 29-year-old Alexandria man faces nearly 200 criminal charges after Fairfax County Police linked him to a months-long spree of thefts from unlocked vehicles at gym parking lots across the county, including three incidents in Reston.
Kumneger Ayalsew targeted the 1700 block of Business Center Drive on May 1, and twice on June 22, according to the Fairfax County Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division. That block appeared more than any other single address in the department's July 20 announcement of the case.
Detectives say Ayalsew stole wallets, credit cards and other personal belongings from unlocked vehicles at fitness centers, then quickly purchased gift cards at nearby retailers.
How the case came together
Investigators linked the cases using surveillance footage, financial records, digital evidence and search warrants, according to the FCPD. With help from the Alexandria Police Department and Falls Church Police Department, officers located and arrested Ayalsew on June 26 in the City of Alexandria.
The arrest led to 32 new Fairfax County charges: nine counts of credit card larceny, nine counts of credit card fraud, four counts of vehicle trespassing, five counts of identity theft, two counts of petit larceny, two counts of money laundering and one count of obtaining money by false pretense.
Combined with earlier charges in Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church, Ayalsew faces nearly 200 total counts, according to police.
Other locations targeted
Beyond the three Reston incidents, the FCPD listed thefts at the 5900 block of Trinity Parkway in Centreville on Thursday, April 30, and Tuesday, June 23, and at the 8200 block of Greensboro Drive in McLean on Sunday, May 3. All incidents date to April through June 2026.
What residents can do
FCPD detectives urged gym-goers to take all valuables with them rather than leaving wallets, purses or electronics in the car. They also advised locking all doors every time and securing any items that must stay in the vehicle in the trunk before arriving so they are never visible.
Anyone with information can call the FCPD Criminal Investigation Division at 703-814-7000. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), online at fairfaxcrimesolvers.org, or through the P3 Tips app. Tipsters are eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000.
