Nearly a year and a half after a break-in at the Leesburg Premium Outlets, Loudoun County authorities say they’ve arrested the man they believe is responsible.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Timothy Earl Root, 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was extradited to Loudoun County on March 3 and is now facing several charges tied to a burglary at the Aeropostale store in Leesburg.
Deputies were first called to the outlet store at 241 Fort Evans Road NE in the early morning hours of November 23, 2024. It was around 5:15 a.m. when officers arrived and found the store’s front glass door shattered, a clear sign someone had forced their way inside before sunrise.
Investigators say an undisclosed number of items were taken from the store.
The location sits inside the busy Leesburg Premium Outlets, a retail hub that draws shoppers from across Northern Virginia and beyond. Break-ins at the center are rare, but when they happen, they tend to raise concerns among store owners who rely heavily on the outlet’s reputation as a safe shopping destination.
After months of investigation, detectives identified Root as a suspect.
He now faces multiple charges, including burglary, possession of burglary tools, grand larceny, and destruction of property.
Authorities say Root is currently being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond.
The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-771-4500.
For longtime residents, the case is another reminder of how much the retail landscape in eastern Leesburg has changed over the years. The outlet center has grown into one of the county’s busiest commercial areas, bringing both economic activity and occasionally the kind of crime local law enforcement works hard to keep in check.
