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The Gaithersburg Police Department reported the following three crimes over the past few days:

Sunday, April 22, 2007
Attempted Strong Arm Robbery
On 04/22/07 at about 11:15 p.m. units responded to the area of Water St. and Harmony Hall Road for a report of a strong arm robbery. The suspects assaulted the victim, stole money, then fled on foot.

Suspects:
1. Black male, 5′07″-5′08″, 130-150, black shirt, black pants
2. Black male, 5′07″-5′08″, 130-150, black shirt, black pants
3. Black male, 5′07″-5′08″, 130-150, black pants, no shirt
4. Black male, 5′07″-5′08″, 130-150, black pants, no shirt

Burglary
On 4/22/07 at 8:22 P.M. police responded to an alarm at a business in the unit block of Chestnut Street. Upon arrival officers observed a subject running out of the business through a broken window. The suspect was arrested after a brief foot pursuit. No property was taken.

Saturday, April 21, 2007
Aggravated Assault
On 4/21/07 at 3:30 A.M. units responded to the 100 block of Watkins Station Circle for an aggravated assault. The victim received a stab wound after becoming involved in an argument with his three roommates.

Suspects: Three Hispanic males all about 30 years of age 5′-8″, 180 pounds.
Suspect vehicle: A white van (unknown make and model) with blue rims and temporary Florida license plates.

The 6th District’s weekly summary for 04/10/07 to 04/18/07 reports one rape, seven robberies, two aggrevated assaults, three commercial and three residental burglaries, seventeen thefts from vehicles, five stolen vehicles and one sex offense.

Selected reports:

• A strong-armed robbery occurred on Wednesday 4/11 at 1836 hours, at the Game Stop, 882 Muddy Branch Road. A customer brought a PSIII up to the counter for purchase. The suspect attempted to grab the box and when the employee pulled it back, the suspect jumped over the counter, pushed the employee and took the property. He was last seen running out the front door.

  Suspect: B/M, 20-25 yrs. old, 6’-6’2”/200-225 lbs., dredlocks, black sunglasses, camouflage vest, blue jeans

• A car-jacking occurred in the parking lot of 18400 block of Lost Knife Circle on Tuesday, 4/17, at 0930 hours. The victim had just exited the vehicle when the suspects approached. The victim is acquainted with the first suspect, but not the second. The first suspect forced the victim into his vehicle and the second suspect drove off in the victim’s vehicle. The first suspect took the victim to his residence, somewhere in Laurel, MD, where he raped the victim (incident to be handled by PG police). He then took her to another location where she got a taxi and went home to make the report.

  Suspect: H/M, 29 yrs. old, 5’8”/170 lbs., mustache & beard

  Suspect vehicle: red Nissan Pathfinder, NFD

  Suspect: H/M, 5’8”, short hair, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans

  Victim’s vehicle: green ’98 Toyota Corolla 4D, MD/tags

• An aggravated assault occurred at Lakeforest Mall by Ruby Tuesdays on Thursday 4/12, at 1630 hours. Mall security had told the suspects to leave the mall, due to a verbal dispute. Once outside, the dispute continued and the victim was stabbed. The suspects fled towards Odend’hal and were stopped nearby. Only the first suspect was charged. This incident is possibly gang-related.

  Defendant: Juvenile, H/M, 14 yrs. old, 5’4”/162 lbs., mustache, tattoo of 3 black circles under his right eye, of S. Frederick Avenue

  Suspect: H/M, 13 yrs. old, 5’7”/230 lbs.,

  Suspect: H/M, 13 yrs. old, 5’5”/115 lbs.,

  Suspect: H/M, 15 yrs. old, 5’2”/110 lbs.,

• A strong-armed robbery occurred at 6 N. Summit Avenue, at the Mi Pueblito restaurant, on Thursday 4/12 at 2015 hours. The victim was intoxicated inside the restaurant and the suspect punched him in the face, and took the victim’s necklace.

  Suspect: H/M, 5’8”, dark complexion, medium build, white polo, jean shorts

• An armed robbery occurred on Maplewood Court on Saturday 4/14, at 2230 hours. The victim was entering the building when the suspect approached and asked for money. The victim said she had none and the suspect put her hand under her sweatshirt and told the victim she had a gun (none found). The suspect forced the victim into her apartment where she and her husband gave the victim more money. They then decided to resist and held the suspect until the police arrived.

  Defendant: Sarah Hurley, W/F, 23 yrs. old, 5’2”/145 lbs., red hair, has priors for burglary, theft and CDS, of 21730 Clarksburg Road (5D)

  Maplewood Court is in Olde Towne, off N. Summit south of Girard.

• An aggravated assault occurred on Benji Court on Friday 4/13 at 1720 hours. The victim went to the residence and took a Playstation, saying it belonged to him. The suspect chased the victim and fired a gun towards the victim. The suspect fled before the police arrived. Officers saw the suspect’s vehicle on State Court on Sunday 4/15. Investigation is continuing.

  Benji Court is east of Girard St, near Diamond Ave; it was the location of the stabbing incident involving a 13-year-old from a couple of weeks ago.

• There was a robbery at the Chevron gas station, 100 N. Frederick Avenue on, on Thursday, 4/12 at 2108 hours. This is the 3rd robbery at or near a gas station since 4/2 and the 5th robbery in the area committed by one or more 1/M’s since 3/21. The suspect entered and bought a pack of chewing gum. When the employee opened the register, the suspect produced a small black gun from his pants pocket and told the employee to ‘sleep’. The employee lay down on the floor and the suspect walked around the counter and removed $399 from the register. He was last seen running towards old-town Gaithersburg. MCP K-9 tracked the suspect to the Executive Gardens apartments with negative results.

  Suspect: B/M, 20 yrs. old, 6’/140 lbs., dark complexion, white baseball cap, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans

• An armed robbery occurred at the Giant Food, 18250 Flower Hill Way on Monday 4/16 at 2230 hours. A knife was implied but not seen. Suspect: B/M, red jacket, blue jeans

  Suspect: B/M, baseball cap, black shirt, blue jeans, with three to four other B/M’s

• The rape at 9416 Vineyard Haven Drive was committed by the victim’s husband and he was arrested on the scene.

  Defendant: Christian Guardado-Diaz, H/M, 32 yrs. old, 5’5”’/175 lbs., goatee

  Vinyard Haven Drive is in the triangle formed by Whightman, Warfield and Goshen Roads.

• An aggravated assault occurred at Warfield Road and Wightman Road on Tuesday 4/10, at 1959 hours. Three different victims had their vehicle windows shot out (while they were driving) possibly by a BB gun. A witness went into the park and saw the suspects running away and then enter an address on Chadburn Place. The responding officer is familiar with the suspects and provided their names. Both suspects live at the Chadburn address.

  Suspect: Juvenile, B/M, 13 yrs. old, 5’6”/145 lbs., dredlocks

  Suspect: Juvenile, B/M, 15 yrs. old, 5’6”/145 lbs., dredlocks

• A possible peeping tom occurred at the 10200 block of Cove Ledge Court on Wednesday 4/11, at 0145 hours. The male victim heard a noise outside and saw the suspect moving his grill close to the window. The suspect climbed on the grill and reached for the window. The victim yelled and the suspect fled on foot. MCP K-9 tracked the suspect to Club Lake Drive and Blue Tee Terrace with negative results. The victim said similar incidents have occurred two to three times previously (not reported).

  Suspect: B/M, 20-30 yrs. old, 5’9”, NFD

  Cove Lege Court is off Watkins Mill Rd, near Steadwick Rd.

• There was one successful and one attempt to take a Dodge vehicle on the night of Friday 4/13 to Saturday 4/14. The attempt was of a Dodge van. In the 3rd District, there has been a trend of several Dodge vans being taken and then being used to transport stolen vehicle parts. It is unknown if this incident is related to those thefts.

  • 4/14 0204-0240 hours. Pontiac Way The victim heard his vehicle start and saw the vehicle being driven off. The vehicle was found later, a short distance away at Story Drive and County Court.
  • 4/13-4/14 2130-0845 hrs. Agrosy Circle The door lock was pried and the ignition punched in an attempt to take a ’04 Dodge Caravan.

• There were several thefts the night of Wednesday 4/11 to Thursday 4/12. Three of the vehicles were left unlocked, one had the door jimmied, and the last was unknown method of entry. Only loose items in the vehicles were taken. The map to the right shows the cluster of events.

  • 2300-0800 hrs. Tannery Drive Unlocked vehicle, took wallet,
  • 2300-0800 hrs. Swanton Lane Unlocked vehicle, took a cell phone charger, portable satellite radio and $5. CR #
  • 0000-0800 hrs. Summer Walk Drive Unknown entry, took satellite radio, $5, cell phone charger.
  • 1730-0900 hrs. Swanton Lane Jimmied door, searched vehicle, but nothing taken.
  • 1900-0730 hrs. Orchard Ridge Drive Unlocked vehicle, took cell phone holder & a head set, and a tire gauge.
  • 2100-0730 hrs. Swanton Lane Unlocked door, took cell phone.

• There were three thefts from vehicles the night of Saturday 4/14 to Sunday 4/15, where all three had entry gained through the vehicle window. The stereos seemed to be the main targets.

  • 2300-0630 hrs. 19700 block of Framingham Drive Pried window, took stereo, speakers, and a pair of Nike basketball shoes.
  • 2000-0800 hrs. 9400 block of Centerway Road Broke rear vent window on two vehicles, only took a stereo from one.
  • 2000-0800 hrs. 8900 block of Centerway Road Broke window, took stereo.

• A residential burglary occurred in the 10700 block of Seneca Way on Tuesday 4/10, from 1000-1800 hours. The victim came home to find multiple rooms ransacked and a 42” TV, $700 in coins, new hiking boots, and tools missing. The victim met the suspect through Match.com, and has been emailing her. The victim is in the process of selling his house and wanted the suspect to come by while he wasn’t home, to give a woman’s opinion’ of the outside of the residence. A neighbor saw a possible suspect vehicle in front of the residence on the day of the burglary.

  Vehicle: green SUV, NFD

• There were two graffiti incidents in this beat; one is definitely gang-related.

  • 4/11-4/12 WED 1500-1500 hrs. 19300 Watkins Mill Road, Montgomery Village MS Black marker was used to write “124 for Life”, “LP” and “VH” on the gym door.
  • 4/13-4/15 FRI-SUN 18900 block of Montgomery Village Avenue Blue spray paint was used to write “Baby” on the side of a residence.

• Graffiti was written on the roof shingles of the top floor of the garage at 108 Olde Towne Avenue, sometime between Wednesday 4/11 and Friday 4/13. The report does not indicate what the graffiti was.

• Two businesses were broken into on Crabbs Branch Way between 2358 hours on Wednesday 4/11, and 0735 hours on Thursday 4/12.

  • 16811 Crabbs Branch Way Red, Hot & Blue Broke a side door window, broke into two offices, searched drawers but nothing was taken from there. The safe was taken to the kitchen, where it was forced open and cash was taken. The cash box and envelope were left behind. Two utility rooms were broken into and the phone lines cut. The alarm company said the alarms were tripped at 0153 hours, but they have orders NOT to notify the police.
  • 16805 Crabbs Branch Way Pried the front door, took cash from the register

• A theft from a vehicle occurred on Mountain Laurel Court on Wednesday 4/11 at 0045 hours. A citizen called after seeing suspects putting wheels into a vehicle trunk. Officers found the suspect vehicle parked with the engine running and a wheel in the rear seat. The suspect admitted that he got a flat tire and removed the victim’s wheel to replace it. The suspect was arrested for the theft and for DWI. There was a passenger in the vehicle, but he was not charged.

  Defendant: Brandon Finkenauer, W/M, 21 yrs. old, 6’2”/160 lbs, red hair, multiple tattoos, has priors for theft, assault, resi sting arrest & CDS, of 19948 Choctaw Court (5D)

  Vehicle: green ’04 Dodge Intrepid 4D, MD/tags

From the City’s website:

City Seeks to Extend Effective Date of Anti-Solicitation Ordinance, Requests Attorney General Review

Posted 4/20/2007

 

Gaithersburg City Manager David Humpton stated today that at the May 7, 2007 meeting of the Mayor and Council he will present for Mayor and Council vote the introduction of emergency legislation addressing the effective date of the existing anti-solicitation ordinance pending review of the ordinance by the Attorney General.

Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy has questioned the ordinance’s ability to withstand constitutional challenge, and has stated that he will not prosecute citations written under the existing ordinance. McCarthy stated he would reconsider his position once the Attorney General issues an opinion on the ordinance. At their meeting on April 16, 2007, the Gaithersburg Mayor and Council agreed to seek the Attorney General’s opinion.

“The City has always been aware of challenges to similar ordinances and conflicting rulings on the issue across the nation, and we are prepared to present compelling arguments to the Attorney General in defense of our ordinance,” said City Manager David Humpton. “However, we feel that it would be irresponsible to use taxpayer resources, and to issue citations for violations, in an attempt to enforce a law that will not be prosecuted. We will therefore seek to extend the effective date of the ordinance to allow for Attorney General review.”

One element of the anti-solicitation ordinance is employment focused, providing a means to encourage use of the newly-opened Montgomery County Day Workers Center on Crabbs Branch Way. Despite the delay in the ordinance’s effective date, Gaithersburg is prepared to ensure the success of the Center by:

1. Conducting outreach by Police and other City staff to educate both workers and contractors about the various benefits of the Center and the services to be provided there;
2. Continuing dialogue with Montgomery County staff on the operation of the Center and the contractor’s success in matching employers with those seeking employment;
3. Providing signage to business owners announcing, in English and Spanish, that their property is not an authorized site to hire workers and directing contractors and workers to the Crabbs Branch Day Workers Center;
4. Continuing to protect the rights of private property owners and the sanctity of neighborhoods through the enforcement of trespassing and other laws seeking to prevent public nuisance;
5. Continuing to work with the County to eliminate 17 North Frederick Avenue as an informal gathering place for day laborers; and
6. Working with the community and the property owner to make effective use of the property at 17 North Frederick Avenue to enhance the entryway to the City’s historic district.

“The new Crabbs Branch Way Center will be a benefit to the entire community,” said Humpton. “Such a facility has been the City’s goal all along, and we applaud the County for moving forward. The Gaithersburg anti-solicitation ordinance provides only one tool to help ensure the Center’s success, and while we are suggesting we delay the effective date of the ordinance to allow for further review, the City is unwavering in its commitment to using all tools at its disposal.”

Gaithersburg-based MedImmune, a major local employer and the City’s fourth-largest source of property tax revenue, has been sold to UK-based global conglomerate AstraZeneca. It is of course unknown at this time how this development will impact local jobs or plans for future investment in Gaithersburg.

Angela Zimm and Etain Lavelle report in this Bloomberg story:

AstraZeneca Plc, struggling to develop new medicines, agreed to buy U.S. biotechnology company MedImmune Inc. for $15.2 billion in cash to gain flu vaccines and an antiviral treatment for babies.

Investors in Gaithersburg, Maryland-based MedImmune will get $58 a share, AstraZeneca said today. That’s 21 percent more than MedImmune’s April 20 closing price of $48.01. MedImmune put itself up for sale on April 11 after pressure from billionaire Carl Icahn and other shareholders.

The acquisition comes just as AstraZeneca reports the failure of its fourth experimental drug in the last year. The London-based drugmaker will be helped by MedImmune’s FluMist for influenza and Synagis for infant lung infections, as well as 45 products in development. AstraZeneca will merge MedImmune with Cambridge Antibody Technology Group Plc, a biotech company it bought in May.