Crime & Safety

Bethesda Burglar Convicted; Faces 240 Years In Prison

Police arrested William Westray following an attempted Bethesda break-in, and prosecutors have linked him to 11 burglaries countywide, The Washington Examiner reports.

A man police arrested following an attempted Bethesda break-in has been convicted in a series of holiday burglaries across the county, the Washington Examiner reports.

William Westray, 47, of Fort Washington, faces up to 240 years in prison for burglaries between December of 2011 and January of 2012, according to the report. Thousands of dollars in jewelry and coins were stolen during the break-ins, according to The Examiner.

Prosecutors said Westray broke into 11 homes, the Examiner reported. He was found guilty of nine counts of first-degree burglary, nine counts of felony theft, one count of misdemeanor theft and two counts of attempted first-degree burglary, according to the report.

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Westray's arrest came amidst a that left Bethesda and Chevy Chase communities on edge.

Westray was arrested following a Jan. 5 attempted burglary on River Road in Bethesda. Police said a homeowner saw a man trying to open a basement door, The man fled after the homeowner yelled out, police said, getting in a car parked in a neighbor’s driveway and driving away.

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Westray was arrested after the homeower provided police with the car’s tag numbers, Patch reported.  

Police also named Westray in an attempted Jan. 3 burglary on Overhill Road in Bethesda. A woman on the second level of her home heard banging and breaking glass coming from the lower level, Patch reported. The woman saw a white, older model vehicle leaving her home, and when police arrived to investigate, they found a basement window broken.       

A basement window screen had been removed at the attempted River Road burglary, police said.

Westray is set to be sentenced Oct. 18, the Examiner reported.


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