More than a year after police reportedly caught Tai M. Tran red-handed with items taken from a just-burglarized Chantilly home, he will finally come to court.

They arrested him in November 2001 and, after some continuances, he was given a July 29 date to appear in Fairfax County General District Court. The judge came, the attorneys came — but Tran, then 30, of 20214 Harbor Tree Road in Gaithersburg, Md., was a no-show.

Judge Mark Simmons then issued a bench warrant for his arrest, and authorities were on the lookout for him. Six months have passed since then but, on Dec. 18, police re-arrested Tran. He is now scheduled to appear — once again — in General District Court to answer to charges of burglary and grand larceny.

As for the crime, itself, on Nov. 15, 2001, around 2 p.m., police received a call from a neighbor about a burglary in progress in the 3800 block of Beech Down Drive in the Armfield Farms community. Officers from the Fair Oaks District Station responded.

According to police, the officers chased and apprehended Tran after spotting him allegedly leaving the house with stolen property. (Police declined, however, to specify exactly what was taken). Police say a Falls Church woman was reportedly waiting for him in a nearby car, and they arrested her a short time later.

But once Tran was released from jail on bond, he didn't show up for his day in court. He now has a new court date of Feb. 11. This time, though, he's being held in the Adult Detention Center — without bond.

<tgl> — Bonnie Hobbs