Fairfax County police accused four Maryland men on Wednesday of burglarizing Virginia homes that were left vacant after being damaged by fire, with two of the suspects facing similar charges in different states.
Authorities said the four suspects — Timothy Lowe, 23; Damon Murray, 22; Emanuel Thomas, 35; and Christian Webb, 24 — targeted four homes in the county and made off with a gun safe and a Porsche, as well as jewelry, purses, cash and a guitar.
Police said the crew hit houses in Herndon, Fairfax and Lorton between November and July.
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A Herndon family suffered a house fire on Nov. 6. The residents told police that after they visited the home five days later, they saw that someone had entered the property and damaged their gun safe.
Despite the intrusion, the family said nothing had been stolen from the home in the 1500 block of Shellbark Place.
Investigators said the same burglary crew returned to the property on Nov. 23 and stole the gun safe as well as a Porsche Macan sitting in the driveway. Police later located the car in Maryland.
The remaining burglaries happened more brazenly, police said.
They said that following an April 23 house fire at a Fairfax home in the 4400 block of San Carlos Drive, it was targeted by burglars on May 1.
Authorities said another Fairfax home damaged in a May 19 house fire in the 11300 block of Bulova Lane was ransacked just a day later.
The final home targeted by the burglars, in the 9200 block of Blu Steel Way in Lorton, was also raided one day after it was scorched during a July 11 house fire.
Each of the suspects was charged with burglary and grand larceny. Mr. Lowe, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Webb face additional charges of destruction of property and auto theft.
Police said Mr. Murray and Mr. Webb await extradition from North Carolina and Pennsylvania, respectively, before they can be arraigned in Fairfax County.
North Carolina court records show Mr. Murray was charged in a July burglary in Raleigh, while Pennsylvania court records say Mr. Webb was arrested in connection with an August burglary in York.
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