Retired LEOs in Heritage Hunt fight intruder and give PWC police clues in burglaries

Prince William County Police Property Crimes detectives have charged William Russell GRIFFIN, 25, of no fixed address with additional burglaries in the Heritage Hunt Community. These charges were filed after a burglary was reported on July 26, 2012 in the 13600 block of Heythorpe Ct., according to Officer Jonathan Perok, spokesman for the Prince William County Police Department.

A married couple, who are both retired law enforcement officers, saw a suspect outside their home in the middle of the night. He wore dark clothing, including a mask, and appeared to be sneaking around their home. While calling 9-1-1, the couple saw him enter a neighbor’s garage, where they confronted him. They attempted to hold him until police arrived, but the suspect fought them, kicking and striking both the husband and wife. The witnesses received minor injuries in the struggle. One of them was able to grab the suspect’s wallet before he fled, leading to detectives’ identification and arrest of the suspect, according to the police report.

Detectives linked additional burglaries on Charismatic Way and Piney Grove Way, as well as a previously unreported burglary on Ryton Ridge Lane. Those cases have been added to the charges against GRIFFIN and and his accused accomplice, Alexandria Hope BERGMAN, 19, of 13456 Victory Gallop Way in Gainesville.

During the investigation, evidence was recovered which included a safe stolen from the Ryton Ridge Lane burglary, in addition to, clothing GRIFFIN was wearing during the burglary on Heythorpe Court including the mask. This investigation would not have been successful without the awareness and involvement of alert community members and the hard work of the detectives, the police report noted.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY - According to the police report, GRIFFIN had a history of similar criminal acts, having been convicted in 2011 for seven nighttime burglaries of occupied homes in the Montclair area of Prince William County. At that time, GRIFFIN was connected to a total of 18 residential burglaries and was charged in 7 of those cases. In 2011, a Prince William Circuit Court judge sentenced GRIFFIN to 5 years in prison which was all suspended except the jail time served prior to trial. While it appears that the sentence was consistent with Virginia sentencing recommended guidelines, Prince William County Police Chief Charlie T. Deane expressed concern that an individual could be convicted of seven nighttime burglaries of occupied homes and not receive time in prison. Chief Deane anticipates formally addressing this issue with the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission.

Chief Deane was quoted in the police report as saying, “The nighttime breaking and entering into occupied homes by a masked intruder is a troubling and inherently dangerous crime that should result in severe punishment and controls designed to protect the community. That clearly did not occur in the 2011 cases in Montclair. As a result, within months he continued the same crime pattern in the Gainesville area.”

Arrested: (Additional charges placed on July 31, 2012), William Russell GRIFFIN, 25, of no fixed address. Charged with 3 counts of burglary, 2 counts of grand larceny and 1 count of petit larceny. Previously charged on July 27, 2012 with 2 counts of assault & battery and 1 count of burglary. Court date set for October 12, 2012, held WITHOUT bond. Alexandria Hope BERGMAN, 19, of 13456 Victory Gallop Way in Gainesville. Charged with 2 counts of burglary, 1 count of grand larceny, 1 count of petit larceny and 1 count of conspiracy to commit burglary. Previously charged on July 27, 2012 with 1 count of burglary. Court date set for October 12, 2012, held on a $17,000 secured bond.