Takoma Park Police are searching for suspects involved in two armed robberies that occurred within minutes of each other early on Thursday morning.
Both incidents occurred in Ward 6, and similar armed robberies were reported around the same timeframe in Prince George’s County, according to police spokesperson Cathy Plevy.
The first robbery took place around 5:17 a.m. when police were called to an armed robbery on the 1100 block of University Blvd. East. The victim was near a tree in front of the Capital One Bank when a suspect got out of a white SUV and approached. The suspect, identified as a light-skinned Black male dressed in a white t-shirt and black pants, aimed a black handgun at the victim, demanding his belongings. After forcibly taking the victim’s possessions, the suspect escaped the scene. A second individual was seen sitting in the passenger seat of the SUV.
The victim did not sustain serious physical injuries, Plevy said.
About fifteen minutes later, around 5:30 a.m., officers responded to another armed robbery at a bus stop on the 7300 block of New Hampshire Avenue. The victim was confronted by a suspect who got out of a white SUV and pointed a black handgun at him. This suspect, who was a passenger in the vehicle, demanded the victim’s belongings and took them by force. Meanwhile, the driver of the SUV also got out, aimed a gun at the victim, and demanded more valuables. The victim complied, after which the driver struck him in the face with the gun, causing a small cut to his left ear.
The suspects then left the scene in an unknown direction, Plevy said.
Lookout details have been communicated to nearby jurisdictions, and the investigation continues. Investigators ask anyone with information about these incidents or the suspects’ identities to contact Takoma Park Police at (301) 270-1100.
Photo: © 2024 Google / Takoma Park Police