Auto parts stolen at several Rockville apartment complexes

One or more auto parts thieves hit several parking lots outside Rockville apartment complexes over the night between August 20 and 21, 2024. The properties impacted were all in the vicinity of Randolph Road. Parts were stolen from vehicles parked at the Village Square West and Lerner Oxford Square apartments, and at the Bethesda Park condominiums. Thieves are typically looking for airbags and catalytic converters. Police recommend installing a steering wheel device like The Club to discourage the former, and having your catalytic converter etched to ward off the latter.

Signage installed at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Rockville

The sign is up at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, which is expected to open by the end of summer 2024 at Federal Plaza in Rockville. Kura is splitting the former Chuy's space with Torchy's Tacos. Asked for an update, a Torchy's spokesperson says only that they are still scheduled for a fall 2024 opening; there is still not an official opening date on the calendar. The windows at Kura remain covered, so we can't yet get a sneak peek at the progress inside, which is to include sushi conveyor belts and KuraBot robots. 

HEYTEA, Sassy Arch Brows opening in Rockville

HEYTEA and Sassy Arch Brows are coming to Rockville. Both will be opening at Wintergreen Plaza on Rockville Pike. HEYTEA will move into the storefront at 981-F Rockville Pike, and Sassy Arch Brows already has signage installed at 815-B Rockville Pike. There's still a lot of work to do inside Sassy Arch Brows, and construction hasn't even begun on HEYTEA, which is still occupied by Sweet Frog.

HEYTEA is a Chinese beverage chain founded in 2012 in Jiangmen in southern China. Its name means "Happy Tea," and is sometimes written as "Hey Tea." The company claims to be the first to sell a cheese tea, which has a real cheese foam topping. 

HEYTEA will be between Paisano's and Wingstop

In recent years, HEYTEA has expanded to the United States, primarily in the New York City area. Rockville is one of several new American locations the chain hopes to open before the end of 2024.

Sassy Arch Brows construction underway

Sassy Arch Brows already has an existing Rockville location at 1170 2B Rockville Pike. The beauty salon offers brow threading and tinting, lash lifts, cosmetics, full face threading, and facial and body waxing services.

Montgomery County police officer found guilty in January 6 case

A Montgomery County police officer was found guilty today by a U.S. Circuit Court judge in Washington, D.C. of charges stemming from the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Officer Justin Lee, 25, of Rockville, was found guilty of two felony offenses: assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and civil disorder. Judge Trevor N. McFadden also found Lee guilty of the misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. Lee will be sentenced by Judge McFadden on November 22, 2024.

The Montgomery County Police Department issued a statement today in which it said that Lee was not yet employed by the County police force on January 6, 2021. It stated Lee's actions at the Capitol did not come to light through its standard background investigation when Lee was hired. Lee was relieved of his police powers while the case went to trial. The MCPD stated that Lee's employment by the department will now be terminated following today's guilty verdict. 

Lee was identified in 2023 by law enforcement officials who were reviewing video footage from the Capitol on January 6, 2021 after they first noticed his Maryland flag gaiter. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia specifically accused Lee of throwing two objects at officers who were trying to prevent people from entering the Capitol. One incendiary device produced a smoke cloud. Lee was also accused of pointing a flashlight beam at officers. 

Maryland AG won't charge Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies in fatal Rockville crash

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has decided not to press charges against two Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies in the fatal April 27, 2024 collision in Rockville, which occurred as they pursued a speeding vehicle on Rockville Pike (MD 355). The driver of the speeding Dodge sedan, whom Brown identified as Timothy Pack, collided with a Honda sedan at the intersection of MD 355 with Twinbrook Parkway. Jasmin Gimon, the driver of the Honda, was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Pack escaped the deputies on foot, but was later located and arrested.

Brown said the Independent Investigations Division of his office reviewed all the evidence, and determined that neither deputy had broken any Maryland laws. As a result, Brown will not file charges against the deputies. 

KaFean Koffee opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda as PSL season begins at Starbucks

KaFean Koffee has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The upstart coffee and espresso kiosk has picked an interesting time to make its debut, as today is the official start of PSL season at Starbucks, which also has a location in the mall. KaFean Koffee serves coffee by Austrian coffee roaster Julius Meinl, as well as tea, hot chocolate, and fresh juices. Look for KaFean Koffee on Level 1 of the mall, near Kiehl's and the Lego store.

Assault in Rockville parking lot

Rockville City police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault in a parking lot early on the morning of August 18, 2024. The assault was reported in a commercial parking lot in the 700 block of Rockville Pike at 12:39 AM Sunday. At least one individual was also accused of weapons possession and disorderly conduct in the incident.