THE COLONIES of MCLEAN, VIRGINIA ~ Stolen Vehicle and Recent Events

I would like to be sure that all residents and Co-owners of The Colonies Condominiums are aware that an adult male living with his mother (Amy Devine, a Colonies Co-owner and resident) in Building 12 was convicted of a felony charge for vehicle theft and damage.  Please read more details regarding what happened below. 

RECENT CONCERNS 

In the last 2 weeks I have been terrified because someone came to our front on a Friday evening then again Monday.  This person knocks, covers the peep hole and does not say who they are.  They leave without a note or card letting me know who they are.  The Colonies security are unaware of anyone requesting to visit my family in our building. I have spoken to several security officers regarding my concern.

On Saturday, August 29^th, 2015 at approximately 10:50 AM, Amy Devine came to my door saying she is a neighbor. When I opened the door just enough to see who it was, I immediately recognized this woman from seeing her son at the Fairfax County court house where I was required to go for the hearings involving my stolen vehicle, damage and credit card theft.  I asked if she was Bryan Devine’s mother, she said “no”.  I immediately went to get my phone and came back to open our front door and said, “You are not Bryan Devine’s mother?”  To my shock it was in fact, Amy Devine, standing at my front door.  She proceeded to point her phone camera at me moving it up and down at me while I was half clothed.  She began saying, “ I just want to know, like, why you keep stalking my son?”  I asked how she got into the building and told her to never come to my front door again. I immediately shut the door and called the Colonies security and the police.  It was extremely disturbing. When 2 Fairfax County Police officers arrived, I explained the situation and what happened.  At the time, I was told a report will be filed. They recognized that even though she may not have a key to my building, she “piggy-backed” and simply walked in a door after someone entered.  I have shared my video with Colonies security and Fairfax County Police. 

Colonies security (Maxwell) informed me a NO TRESPASSING NOTICE for Building 7 will be issued to Amy Devine.  While I hope this will keep her from entering my building or even waiting in the garage, it is possible she may attempt to show up at my door again. She could only get in if a resident or a resident’s visitor opened one of the locked doors for our building and let her in behind them.

This was quite disruptive to our lives and created great distress for my family - again.  Prior to her son stealing my credit card, vehicle, and everything in it, I have never seen anyone in the Devine family nor did I know them or have any connection to them whatsoever.  I was a victim of a crime and the abnormal behavior I have seen from both Amy and Bryan Devine is disturbing and continues. 

WHAT HAPPENED?

In March of 2014, Amy Devine’s son entered my vehicle (which was parked in the garage of my building), then stole my wallet and some other small items and used a credit card. Immediately I called the Colonies office and security. I expressed to them the importance of letting residents know this was happening in our community. 

After obtaining the photo of Bryan Devine using my card, he was identified.  Come to find out Devine also stole my extra car key and soon came back to steal my vehicle which had not only my child’s car seat, toys and clothes including sentimental and irreplaceable items in it, I had loaded many items in the back to bring to my storage unit.  Police were notified immediately of the stolen vehicle. Devine stripped my vehicle of everything that was in it.  Eventually my vehicle was found with another stolen vehicle.  My vehicle had been crashed into a concrete wall in the Northrup Grumman Building garage on Colshire Drive (the next street over from Old Meadow Road).  

Even though I immediately drove around McLean looking in close by dumpsters for my belongings, nothing was recovered.  The damage for my vehicle was close to 14,000.00. This was EXTREMELY stressful for me not having a vehicle and having to deal with the police.  I also became scared living in my home and walking to and from my vehicle.

Devine offered to pay a lump sum of money to my family (which we did not accept) in order to move forward without pleading guilty and a possible conviction.  After a long year of court dates, he finally pleaded guilty after he was apparently charged with assault. 

The judge read my Victim Impact Statement and listened to my testimony.  I thought she was fair and reasonable when she ordered him to pay my family $4,000.00 restitution (money) even though it did not cover our huge financial loss. Insurance deductible had to be paid including rental car costs in addition to immediately replacing stolen items like my child’s car seat. While insurance spent nearly 14,000.00 to restore the vehicle, we had to sell it and lost more money.  Unfortunately, we have not seen a dime from the Devine family, not even one payment made. 

Devine was ordered to walk away if he sees me and was instructed he is not to speak to me.  The Court Order also stated that he is not to go to the Pimmit Hills Library or the Colonies pool / clubhouse.  He was given a jail sentence and served approximately 3 months in jail, as far as I know.

Despite the fact that I have provided the Colonies Security and Management office with a certified copy of the Court Order, I have been told that because he is a “resident” they will continue to allow him to use the pool/clubhouse. I feel this puts residents in a potentially dangerous position, especially if they are alone or with children.

A Colonies resident informed me that Devine assaulted and stole from him at the pool/club house. Devine’s friends come and go freely through the gates and wander the Colonies grounds.  A neighbor tells me she sees him at the pool and I recently saw him there.  Devine yells out “whore” to me, and continues to accuse me of stalking him and tells me to stop driving past his building (Building 12, the last building on the right as you exit out the Magarity Road entrance/exit).  Devine video tapes me and Colonies Security Officers, takes pictures with his phone and often gives me the finger.

During Devine’s sentencing, Amy Devine testified under oath telling the court that I had been stalking she and her daughter at a grocery store.  I could not believe what I was hearing in a court of law because I had never seen her anywhere on the property or in the community outside of The Colonies Condominium.  Amy Devine also stated under oath that I was stalking her son.  The Devine family continues to call the police claiming that I’m stalking them. Recently I was leaving the Colonies and exiting out the back entrance closest to Building 12, Amy Devine was walking with a man and saw me. She held up her camera and I'm guessing she was video taping - this type of behavior toward someone your son stole from is quite disturbing to me.  In the last 12 months, I have been very authoritatively and alarmingly questioned by a Fairfax County Police officer.  I have had to call the police numerous times in order to protect myself from false accusations and harassment by the police.  I was informed by one police officer that Amy Devine is a gun owner.  I’m not sure who scares me more, Amy Devine or her son and his friends.

The Colonies security told me they have made numerous calls over the years to the police regarding Bryan Devine without getting what they believe is an appropriate response.  It seems that because we live on private property grounds, there are limitations that complicate matters and could compromise the safety of residents.  It is important to report matters to the Colonies Security but also call the Fairfax County police. 

Since having to deal with this for over a year, I have learned of other criminal acts that residents of my building have been victim to (for example slashing tires and vandalism of our building).  I was disturbed to know that over the years, the Colonies Management has not disclosed this information to residents.  I had never heard of crimes involving theft or vandalism at The Colonies Condominium until I made a report and was a victim. Since we live in a gated community with security staff working 24/7, many people may not think crimes are happening here at the Colonies. I think it is very important that Colonies Management disclose information regarding on-going theft and vandalism incidents and keeping Co-owners and residents  informed by a monthly “Crime / Safety Report” seems to me like the right thing to do.