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Six robberies this week, three with handguns.

From the County’s website:

• An armed robbery with a handgun occurred on Centerway Road and Club House Road in Montgomery Village on Sunday 9/23 at 1:00 AM. The victim was assaulted, property taken.

  Suspect: W/M 5’9” to 5’11, short blonde hair
  Suspect: B/F, no further description

• A strong-armed robbery occurred at the parking garage at 108 Olde Town Avenue in Gaithersburg on Tuesday 9/18 at 9:00 PM. Victim assaulted, property taken.

  Suspect: H/M 5’8”, 190, Shirt black hair, green polo shirt, blue jeans

• A home invasion robbery occurred on Tuesday 9/25 at 1:00 AM in the 7900 block of Spiceberry Circle in the Mill Creek Towne area of Gaithersburg. The three suspects displayed handguns. Property taken.

  All Suspects were described as B/M’s, 18 to 30 years old, with one suspect 5’7” in a black tee shirt, blue jean shorts

  Spiceberry Circle is off MD124, between Flower Hill and Midcounty Hwy.

• A commercial armed robbery occurred at 8:15 AM on Wednesday 9/19 at the Tuesday Morning, 353 Muddy Branch Road in Gaithersburg. The suspect displayed a handgun. Property taken.

  Suspect: B/M, red & white striped shirt with a hood, boots

• A strong-armed robbery occurred in the 500 block of Coral Reef Drive in Gaithersburg on Sunday 9/23 at 1:30 AM. The victim was assaulted, property taken.

  Suspect: B/M, 17 to 19, 5’10 to 6’0”, 150-160, crew cut

  (3) additional B/Ms and (2) B/Fs

  Coral Reef Drive is near Muddy Branch Rd, south of West Side Drive.

• A purse snatch/street robbery occurred in the 640 block of Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg on Friday 9/21 at 9:30 PM. The female victim had her purse taken. The male victim was assaulted and his property taken.

  Suspect: B/M 18-22 years, 5’6”-5’9”, 130-150, dreadlocks

  Suspects 2 & 3: B/M’s, 18-22 years, 5’6”-5’10”, 130-150

• An auto theft occurred in the 10000 block of Sterling Terrace in Gaithersburg on Tuesday 9/18 at 7:20 AM.

  Suspect: B/M 20 to 25, 5’5”-5’6”, 160-180, dark green sweatshirt w/hood

  Stolen Vehicle: 2002 Audi A6, 4-door, black, MD/Tags

  Sterling Terrace is off Diamondback Drive, south of Crown Farm.

• Several larcenies from vehicles in areas bounded by Great Seneca, Sam Eig, and Key West in Gaithersburg occurred during this reporting frame.

  Suspects: (3) H/Ms, all 14-16 years, 5’6” to 5’9”

  • Wed 9/19 7:45-8:15 AM 300 blk High Gables Drive
  • Wed 9/19-Thu 9/20 10 blk Earth Star Place
  • Thu 9/20-Fri 9/21 10000 blk Vanderbilt Circle
  • Fri 9/21 3-4 AM 10020 blk Vanderbilt Circle
  • Sat 9/22 10-12 noon Bickerstaff Way



• Three larcenies from vehicles occurred in the Clopper Road/Longdraft Road area in Gaithersburg; between Thursday 9/20 and Friday 9/21.



• A commercial burglary occurred at the Hudson Trail Outfitters, 401 North Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg on Monday 9/24 at 3:15 AM. Forced entry, property taken.

• An attempted burglary occurred in the 19300 block of Sherwood Green Way in Gaithersburg on Monday 9/24 at 11:20 PM. No entry made.

  Sherwood Green Way is off Cypress Hill Drive, which is off MD124 opposite the Airpark.

Click above for full size images

Officers from the Montgomery County Police 5th District would like the public’s help in identifying two suspects who used a stolen credit card to purchase items in Gaithersburg. Officers have obtained surveillance photographs to release to the public.

On September 5, at approximately 7:36 p.m., a 52-year-old female victim from Germantown was using the ATM at a bank in Gaithersburg. A short time later, she realized she left her ATM card behind. When the victim phoned in to the bank to report her card missing, the bank informed her of charges that were made to her card.

Further investigation revealed that on that same day, at approximately 7:57 p.m., two suspects, a male and a female, used the victim’s credit card to purchase some items from Sears, located at 701 Russell Avenue in Gaithersburg. Then, at approximately 8:19 p.m., the same suspects purchased additional items from a Ross store, located at 480 North Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg, by using the victim’s credit card.

Suspect one is described as a Hispanic male, 5’5” to 5’7” tall, weighing 170 to 180 pounds, with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark green shirt, tan shorts and glasses. Suspect two is described as a Hispanic female, 5’4” to 5’6” tall, weighing 160 to 180 pounds, with shoulder-length dark hair. She was wearing a black short sleeve shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone who has information about this incident is asked to call the Montgomery County Police tip line, toll-free, at 1-866-803-2337, or the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.

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Contact: Media Services Division   Phone: 240.773.5030

Thursday, October 04, 2007
Burglary
On 10/04/07, at 1:30 a.m., police responded to the unit block of State Court for a report of a burglary. Upon arrival, the victim stated that he returned home and found his front door opened. Investigation revealed that the unknown suspects possibly used a ladder to gain entry through an upstairs bedroom window. The suspects took two television sets, and attempted to take a home theatre system. Incident under investigation.

Suspects: two black males

State Court is near Girard, opposite Teacher’s way.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Arrest
On 10/02/07, at 4:30 p.m., the victim was approached by known suspects in the 200 block of Kentlands Boulevard. The victim was assaulted and the suspects demanded money. The suspects fled the scene before obtaining anything from the victim. The suspects were located a short time later and arrested without incident.

Strong Arm Robbery

On 10/02/07, at 3:53 p.m., the victim was walking in the unit block of Lavenham Drive when unknown suspects approached, took his iPod and fled the area. Investigation to continue.

I can find a Lavenham Place, but not a Lavenham Drive. Lavenham Place is across Kelly Park from State Court, near Victory Farm Drive & Saybrooke Oaks.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Arrest

On 09/25/07, at 9:06 p.m., police responded to the 600 block of Russell Avenue for an assault and battery. Upon arrival, it was discovered that the victim had been beaten and robbed by three suspects. One suspect was arrested. Investigation to continue.

How something like this ever gets into a major newspaper, I’ll never understand. How many errors do you find in this? I get:

• The Gaithersburg City Council has five seats, not four. In fact, I have never heard of such a body having an even number of seats. (The US Senate has an even number of seats, but the Vice President is available to break ties).
• While it is true that Henry F. Marraffa is not running for reelection, this is because his term isn’t up.
• Stanley Alster, a member of the City Council for over twenty years who is retiring this year, is not mentioned.

Michael Tunison writes in the Washington Post, Plenty of Trash Talk in Rockville’s Mayoral Race:

In Gaithersburg, the terms of three of the four council members expire this year. Geri Edens, Henry F. Marraffa Jr. and John B. Schlichting are not running for reelection. Seven candidates are vying for the openings; the three with the most votes will win:

• Ahmed Ali, 35, president and chief executive of TISTA Science and Technology Corporation.
• Shawn Ali, 33, member of the Gaithersburg IT and Innovations Committee.
• Jud Ashman, 36, president of the Elegant Envelope and a member of the mayor’s ad hoc committee on electoral participation.
• Cathy C. Drzyzgula, 51, member of the Gaithersburg Historic Preservation Committee.
• Wilson Lee Faris, 61, sales specialist at Lowes and a member of the Gaithersburg Landlord Tenant Commission.
• Carlos Solis, 48, member of the Gaithersburg Chief of Police Advisory Council.
• Ryan Spiegel, 29, lawyer and a member of the Gaithersburg Education Committee.

The remaining council member, Michael A. Sesma, and the mayor, Sidney A. Katz, have two years remaining on their terms.