Officers from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Fair Oaks Police District on Aug. 20 arrested on shoplifting charges a teenager suspected to be linked to distribution of suspicious fliers portraying purported hate/bias material the previous week.
Police dispatched officers to the Target store at 13047 Fair Lakes Shopping Center on Aug. 20 after receiving a report that a shoplifter was in custody. The Target Asset Prevention Team told police the suspect had been observed stealing a staple gun, sandwich bags, glue and other miscellaneous items.
The previous week, Fair Oaks District Station officers and detectives responded to reports of suspicious fliers with bias material being disseminated throughout multiple neighborhoods.
After further investigation, officers determined the teenager in the Target case was the person responsible for distributing the offensive fliers, police said.
Authorities have charged the teenager with petty larceny and are holding the teen at the Juvenile Detention Center.