Police in northern Virginia will be increasing law enforcement presence in malls and shopping centers in the area through the Halloween weekend after news of a potential threat to public safety in the area emerged in the past 48 hours, according to multiple reports. The news comes amid an upcoming gubernatorial election in Virginia, to take place Nov. 2. Authorities in multiple Virginia counties—including Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William—issued statements on Friday saying that the threat is not specific, but asked residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. “Yesterday, we received information concerning potential public safety impacts to malls and shopping centers across the region. As you all know, we take any and all information very seriously,” Fairfax County Chief of Police Kevin Davis told a news conference on Friday. “And as we work to corroborate it, we have increased our police presence throughout the county to include …