ARLINGTON, Va. — After a string of back-to-back armed robberies that rattled several Arlington neighborhoods, police say they’ve made an arrest.
Carlos Lopez Sparks, 19, of Centreville, is now facing 20 criminal charges tied to a series of robberies targeting local businesses, employees, and even customers. According to Arlington County police, those charges include eight counts of robbery, eight counts of using a firearm during a felony, and four counts of wearing a mask to conceal his identity. He’s currently being held without bond.
From what investigators laid out, this wasn’t a one-off incident. It was a pattern.
It started the evening of February 24 along South Four Mile Run Drive. Around 7:56 p.m., police say a masked suspect walked into a business, showed a gun, and demanded cash. After taking money from both the register and an employee, he turned to a customer and made the same demand. When the customer said they didn’t have cash, the suspect left.
But it didn’t stop there.
Police say the same suspect immediately walked into a neighboring business and repeated the crime — again displaying a firearm and taking cash before fleeing.
The next night, February 25, the pattern continued — this time moving across Arlington.
Just after 8 p.m., officers responded to a call about a suspicious person on North Glebe Road. Investigators say the suspect entered a business, threatened two employees with a gun, and demanded money. The employees ran, and the suspect left empty-handed.
Minutes later, another nearby business on North Pershing Drive was hit. Police say the suspect took cash from the register and again tried to rob customers at gunpoint before leaving when they had no money.
Detectives working the case say they were able to connect the incidents and identify a suspect. Sparks was taken into custody at his home on the morning of March 20.
This wasn’t a solo effort. The FBI, Fairfax County Police, and Herndon Police all assisted in the investigation — a sign of how seriously authorities were taking the string of robberies.
Police say the investigation is still active. If you know anything that could help, you’re asked to contact the Arlington County Police tip line at 703-228-4180.
For many in Arlington, this arrest brings some relief — but it also raises questions about how quickly a series of violent crimes can unfold across multiple neighborhoods, often within minutes.