Fairfax County police pursued armed robbery suspects through oncoming traffic near Tysons Thursday afternoon.
A couple allegedly shoplifted armloads of Tide detergent products from a Safeway on Georgetown Pike in Great Falls about 12:30 p.m. and pulled a gun on the store manager who tried to stop them.
The couple left in a silver Honda with a child in the backseat.
After police attempted a traffic stop, the suspects led them on a chase on several roads and highways in the Tysons area.
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Video recorded from an apartment building shows the suspects leading police into oncoming traffic on Route 7 at one point.
"Well, I heard all the sirens, and at first I didn’t think much of it, but then I heard the helicopter,” said Akbar S., who recorded the video. “And I work from home. My desk is right by the window, and I took a peek outside and I just saw, right over there, just a huge group of cop cars.”
Police cars blocked exits in hopes of getting the Honda to stop, which it eventually did on Interstate 495 near Lewinsville Road.
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“That car was tossed around quite a bit,” Akbar S. said. “It could not have been comfortable for anybody inside.”
The suspects are in custody, and the child is safe and with caregivers.
There were no crashes or injuries.
Charges are pending.
A rise in organized shoplifting of Tide detergent has been documented by the National Retail Federation.
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