On January 12, 2026, Thomas McKinley, age 50, of Chesterfield, Virginia, was arrested for a violation of §18.2-374.1:1 Code of Virginia, Possession of Child Pornography. During the evening of January 11, 2026, the Bedford Police Department obtained information that McKinley planned to travel from Chesterfield to the Town of Bedford in an attempt to engage in sexual acts with a person he believed to be an 11-year-old child. BPD officers located McKinley and took him into custo

On December 30, 2025, the Bedford Police Department charged two Roanoke men, 26-year-old Brandon Harmeling, and 30-year-old James Harmeling, with multiple offenses related to destruction of property and larceny. The arrests follow an investigation involving allegations that the two men were involved in a series of copper thefts from commercial sites across multiple jurisdictions in Virginia. Two of these incidents occurred within the Town of Bedford. The Bedford Police Depart

On Thursday, December 11, 2025, Gregory Johnson age 39 of the Town of Bedford was arrested on 6 felony warrants involving crimes against children. They include the following:  3 counts of (§ 18.2-61) Rape  2 counts of (§ 18.2-370.1) Taking indecent liberties with a child  1 count of (§ 18.2-67.1) Forcible sodomy The Bedford Police Department would like to thank the U.S. Marshals, Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, and Bedford County Social Services for their assistance with

The Bedford Police Department is urging residents to remain vigilant as reports of phone scams involving alleged solar panel installations and “energy savings” programs continue to increase in the area. In recent incidents, callers falsely claim to be working directly with local utility providers, including the Bedford Electric Department. Earlier today, an officer spoke with one of these callers and quickly confirmed the call was fraudulent. The individual was unable to prov