Pair Charged in String Of Burglaries Caught In the Act, Police Say

A boyfriend-girlfriend team caught breaking into an Alexandria home this month targeted at least six homes during an eight-day burglary spree, making off with cash, jewelry and electronics, police said yesterday.

The pair would work in the afternoon knocking on doors in the Cameron Station area, and when they believed no one was home, they would throw a rock or brick through a glass window to get inside, police said.

Aaron J. Paige, 26, of Prince George's County and Brittany C. Wilson, 19, of the District have been charged with six counts of burglary or attempted burglary. Alexandria police are investigating whether the couple committed similar crimes in other jurisdictions.

Wilson is unemployed and Paige worked at a barbershop, court records show. Paige has been arrested several times in Maryland for charges including drugs possession, theft, assault and burglary, according to online court records.

From March 11 to 19, the couple broke into three Alexandria houses, stealing about $15,000 worth of valuables, police said. They tried to steal items from three other homes, according to police.

They were caught about 1:40 p.m. March 19 when they got impatient at a house in the 1400 block of Coventry Lane, said Sgt. Shahram Fard, head of the department's property crimes unit.

The couple knocked on the front door, and before the homeowner could answer, Wilson went to the back of the house and tossed a brick through a glass door and let herself in, Fard said.

Hearing the breaking glass, the homeowner called 911. She then peeked around the corner toward the noise and found herself face-to-face with Wilson, Fard said.

Wilson ran out and headed down the street toward an older model BMW driven by Paige, he said. Police arrived before Wilson got to the car, and officers arrested both suspects.

In the BMW, police found some of the stolen property from previous burglaries, police said. Fard said the couple fenced other stolen items on the street in the District.

This year, there have been 73 burglaries in Alexandria, two fewer than at this time last year. This arrest is an important one for police because it closes a significant portion of their cases.

"This is the biggest one this year," Fard said.

He said residents can protect themselves by being aware of their surroundings and not opening the door of their home unless they are expecting somebody. Otherwise, if someone is knocking, he advised residents to talk through the door to find out what the person wants.

"If something seems suspicious, call police," he said.