2 of 3 suspects arrested for multiple retail thefts in Fairfax County: officials

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Authorities have charged a Maryland woman and are currently coordinating the extradition of a D.C. woman in connection with a series of organized retail thefts in Fairfax County.

The incidents took place on July 19, 2024, when three women allegedly stole merchandise from a business located in the 2900 block of District Avenue in Merrifield at about 5:51 p.m. Following the theft, the suspects fled the scene before police arrived.

The two suspects identified so far are 20-year-old Tanihya Allen from Maryland and 20-year-old Destiny Howard from Washington, D.C. The investigation quickly led police to their identities.

Subsequent inquiries revealed that Allen had been arrested on unrelated charges in Montgomery County, while Howard was already in custody at the Howard County Jail in Maryland.

Authorities are actively working on the extradition process for Howard, as they continue to investigate the involvement of the third suspect in the retail thefts.