Rockville cemetery burglarized for the third time in as many weeks

A Rockville cemetery that was burglarized twice in the last week of September was broken into again on October 5, 2025, Montgomery County police report. The latest burglary took place between 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM that afternoon. Officers again found evidence of forced entry at the Parklawn Cemetery at 12800 Veirs Mill Road, and once again, unspecified property was made off with. 

While police had no suspect descriptions from the first two break-ins, they have a minimalist description of the suspects in the October 5 burglary. They are looking for four White males, and a fifth male of unknown race, and they say the ages of the five males are "unknown." If you have any information that can assist detectives in any of the three cases, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Rockville cemetery burglarized twice in 24 hours

Montgomery County police are investigating two separate burglaries that took place within a 24-hour period at a cemetery in Rockville. Officers responding to the scene at Parklawn Cemetery at 12800 Veirs Mill Road found evidence of forced entry in both incidents. They determined that unspecified property was stolen in both cases.

The first break-in occurred sometime between 10:00 PM on September 27, 2025 and 7:20 AM on September 28. At 8:44 PM on September 28, a second burglary was reported. Police say they have no descriptions of the suspect(s) in either case. If you have any information about these burglaries that can assist detectives, call (301) 279-8000. 

Attempted burglary at laboratory in Rockville

One or more burglars attempted to force their way into a laboratory facility in Rockville last month, Montgomery County police report. Police believe the attempt was made sometime between 12:00 PM on September 19, 2025, and 11:00 AM on September 22. The building in question was Twinlabs, which is located at 12441 Parklawn Drive. 

Police have not released any surveillance camera images of the suspect(s), and state that they currently have no descriptions of the suspect(s). If you have any information about the suspects or this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Pickpocket strikes at restaurant in Rockville

Watch your wallet! Montgomery County police responded to a report of a pickpocketing incident at a restaurant in Rockville on Monday, September 29, 2025. The stealthy theft was reported at a restaurant in the 12200 block of Rockville Pike at 5:04 PM Monday. Later, the thief attempted to use at least one credit card from the wallet at an unidentified store. Remember to keep your wallet in a front pocket, if possible, especially in crowds.

Assault at bus stop in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a bus stop in Rockville Friday morning, September 19, 2025. The assault was reported at a bus stop in the 12100 block of Rockville Pike at 8:45 AM Friday. That is in the vicinity of the Montrose Crossing shopping center.

Car stolen from townhome community in Derwood

Montgomery County police are investigating the theft of a vehicle parked on the street in a townhome community in Derwood. The vehicle was taken from the 16100 block of Columbus Avenue, near the Shady Grove Metro station. It is believed that it was stolen sometime between 10:30 PM on September 11, 2025, and 3:00 PM on September 12. 

Police have no suspect or vehicle descriptions to share in this case. If you have any information about this theft, or can identify the suspect(s) involved, call police at (301) 279-8000.

5 robbers gang up on victim in Rockville

Five would-be robbers ganged up on a man in Rockville on August 20, 2025, Montgomery County police report. The man was confronted by five men in the 12400 block of Parklawn Drive at 10:11 PM. They allegedly assaulted him, and attempted to steal his money, but were unsuccessful. Police did not say how the victim managed to outwit and out-muscle his five opponents.

The suspects are described only as 4 Black males of unknown age, and a fifth man of unknown age who is either Black or Hispanic. If you can identify any of the suspects, or have any information about this case, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Suspect arrested in rape at gas station in Rockville

Montgomery County police have arrested a suspect in the August 14, 2025 sexual assault that allegedly took place at a gas station in Rockville. Carlos St. James Hover, 34, of Washington, D.C. entered the gas station early that evening, police say, and allegedly assaulted and raped the victim inside. Hover was captured by police after officers responding to a bank robbery call the next morning in Wheaton recognized the suspect in that armed robbery because he was wearing some of the same distinctive pieces of clothing the previous night's rape victim had described to detectives.

Hover was transported to the County's Central Processing Unit where he was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree assault, armed robbery, resisting arrest, and other related crimes. He is being held without bond.

Photo courtesy Montgomery County Police Department

Multiple self-storage units broken into in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a burglary at a self-storage facility in Rockville on July 27, 2025. The burglary was reported at Self Storage Plus at 15750 Paramount Drive. Police believe the crime was committed between 6:30 PM on July 25 and 7:00 PM on July 27. 

Officers responding to the scene found evidence of forced entry to several storage units at the facility. It appears the burglar(s) did not find whatever it was they were looking for, however, as police so far have been unable to identify any property that is missing from the units in question. If you have any information about this incident, or can identify any suspect(s) involved, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Police were called back to the same facility yesterday morning, August 11, at 11:35 AM. Again, they found forced entry into at least one unit. There is no word yet if anything was stolen this time.

Montgomery County police bust up Germantown crack ring

The 5th District Community Action Team of the Montgomery County Police Department has busted up an alleged crack ring operating in Germantown. Many citizen complaints have been received by the department about the sale of illegal narcotics in the 19500 block of Gunners Branch Road. In response, DCAT, in coordination with the department's Special Investigations Division and the 5th District Special Assignment Team, launched an investigation into this last fall. The work of many months culminated on June 25, 2025, when County officers raided three residences, and recovered a cache of firearms, money, and drugs.

Police arrested Duane Shelton, 46, of Germantown; Kevin Patton, 44, of Germantown; Anre Russell, 39, of Takoma Park; Michael Marshall, 37, of Gaithersburg; and Alexander Burch, 48, of Petersburg, Virginia. Shelton, Patton, and Russell are all being held without bond; Marshall was released on bond, and Burch was released on his own recognizance. All five have been charged with multiple controlled-dangerous-substance charges; police did not specify if firearms charges are pending.

Officers seized five vehicles; four firearms; distribution amounts of crack, PCP, and MDMA; and $43,000 in cash. One evidence photo appears to show a bulletproof vest. Detectives say that their investigation into this ring and activity are not over, however. The criminal activity alleged is on a level sophisticated enough that the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) and the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy are involved, and providing inter-agency data and support.

Duane Shelton

Kevin Patton

Anre Russell

Michael Marshall

Alexander Burch

Photos courtesy MCPD

Armed robbery in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in a residential neighborhood of Rockville early Thursday morning, June 19, 2025. The robbery was reported in the 14400 block of Parkvale Road at 1:01 AM Thursday. That is off of Baltimore Road, near Rock Creek.

Police scuffle with suspicious man outside of Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville

Montgomery County police, on heightened alert after an antisemitic firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado two weeks ago, observed a man circling the parking lot at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville at 2:54 PM on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Officers noticed the man's vehicle did not have a student pickup pass displayed. The officers, who were off-duty and assigned to security at the school, directed the driver to exit the parking lot. However, the man then drove back into the lot.

According to police, the officers ordered the man to stop. The man allegedly ignored the officers, and drove through cones into the student pickup line, toward oncoming cars. He then stopped the vehicle, but refused to get out of the car when ordered to by the officers. The man declined to answer questions about his identity, or what his purpose was in being on school property. 

Officers then attempted to forcibly remove him from the vehicle. He allegedly resisted, and then became combative. Officers struggled to subdue him, and noticed a pocket knife fall out of the man's clothing. After a brief scuffle, in which two officers suffered minor injuries, they arrested the man.

Joseph Amr Khairy Abdalla, 38, of Germantown has been charged with multiple counts of assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He is being held without bond at the County jail. Yesterday, the court called for Abdalla to undergo a Maryland Department of Health inpatient competency examination. This is typically ordered to determine if a defendant is competent to stand trial. A trial has been scheduled for July 29, 2025 in Montgomery County District Court in Rockville.

Police say that at this stage of the investigation, they have not yet found evidence that Abdalla intended to harm anyone at the school, but did not elaborate on the findings that led to that conclusion. Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada praised his officers for their vigilance and quick action at the school on Thursday. “The actions of these officers shows our heightened efforts to protect our community and the courage of officers to take decisive action for the safety of all,” Yamada said in a statement.

New 6th District Montgomery County police station officially opens in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the new 6th District County police station in Gaithersburg this week. County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Kate Stewart were among the dignitaries to christen the new station, which is located at 222 Paramount Park Drive in the Watkins Mill Town Center area. 

Developers never delivered the promised movie theater, upscale restaurant, or even the actual "town center" of Watkins Mill Town Center, but did rake in all the profits from the residential housing portion of the development. Heckuva job, Brownie! New residents did get a Royal Farms gas station, a Starbucks, and now the police station, however. They'll likely welcome the latter, given the ongoing crime wave that has bedeviled the county since the summer of 2020.

“The new 6th District Police Station is an important project for the County that will strengthen critical emergency services to our residents in an area that has seen tremendous growth,” Elrich said in a statement this morning. “The Gaithersburg area has seen a great deal of development over the years, and as the community changes, the demand changes. We recognized the importance of adapting to the needs of a growing community, and this station is a testament to our ability to meet those needs. The new station will help to improve the safety and security of residents and businesses and address our current and future needs for the decades to come.” 

Almost 200 department staff and volunteers may be on-site at any given time. The station will serve as the base for investigative units, as well as the Central Traffic Unit, which was established in July 2021. It also features a public space "designed to foster engagement, collaboration and dialogue within the community." 

Police called after assault at 7-Eleven in Rockville

Damage to 7-Eleven front door
allegedly caused by assailant

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an assault at the 7-Eleven store at 11530-G Rockville Pike on Thursday, May 1, 2025. The alleged assailant entered the store shortly before 2:00 PM that afternoon, and was confronted by employees, who accused him of shoplifting. In response, he threw unspecified items at the employees, kicked and cracked a glass panel in the store's front door, and fled. An officer responding to the assault call forwarded a photo of the suspect to other officers in the White Flint area.

The suspect was seen walking near the 7-Eleven by police around 3:01 PM. Officers followed the suspect to the nearby White Flint Metro station. When they informed the suspect he was under arrest, he attempted to run away. Following a brief foot chase, the suspect was arrested. Asked to identify himself, he allegedly provided a false name. A search of his person led officers to conclude he was in possession of clothing stolen from H&M and GAP at the nearby Pike & Rose development. Security at both stores confirmed that Shall had been in their stores earlier that day.

Ceolus Shall, 32, of no fixed address, was charged with theft of less than $100, malicious destruction of property, obstructing and hindering an investigation, and failure to truthfully identify. However, he was quickly released on a $100 unsecured personal bond. A woman was assaulted at the same 7-Eleven store 16 days earlier.

Photo courtesy Montgomery County Police Department

Masked men prowling Derwood at night

Masked men are reportedly prowling residential neighborhoods in Derwood at night, seeking to steal valuables from cars, or the cars themselves. Montgomery County police were called after at least one vehicle was broken into on Grande Vista Drive at 12:39 AM Sunday morning, April 27, 2025. According to police radio communications, several men were spotted wearing hoodies and masks at a nearby intersection in the neighborhood around that time. Police were called nearly two hours earlier about an auto theft incident in the nearby 7600 block of Moccasin Lane.

If you have any information about the masked men, or about these or other related incidents of theft in the Derwood/Rockville area, contact police at (301) 279-8000. Remember to lock your vehicle, remove all visible items from the interior, and do not leave your keys in the glove compartment or ignition. 

Police investigate assault at park in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an assault at a park in Rockville late Wednesday afternoon, February 12, 2025. The assault was reported at a park in the 5000 block of Baltic Avenue at 5:00 PM Wednesday. Aspen Hill Local Park is located on that block at 5013 Baltic Avenue.

Police increase visibility at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda after robbery wave

Police were more visible at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this past weekend, following a string of robberies at the popular retail center. In one instance, as seen above in the Dining Terrace food court, a uniformed police officer joined a mall security guard making the rounds of the property. Montgomery County police recently responded to three robberies in a nine-day period at the mall, on January 26 and 27, and on February 4. In the January 27 robbery, the victim was a business inside the mall.

Last year, assaults - not robberies - were the primary type of violent crime taking place at the mall. Eleven assaults were reported at the mall in 2024, up from five in 2023. The last assault was on November 12, 2024. A new leadership team was brought into the mall by parent company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield ten days later. No assaults have been reported at Montgomery Mall so far in 2025. 

There's no question that a visible police presence can not only deter criminals, but also make mall patrons feel safer. A sense of lawlessness, such as thieves being permitted to escape with large armfuls or bags of merchandise, only attracts more serious criminals as word spreads of easy pickings. TV news reports of New York City Police Department officers on subway platforms and trains, as that city's mayor announced that at least two officers would patrol each train during overnight hours, would give passengers a high degree of confidence in riding the MTA system. 

The newly-deployed NYPD officers are in addition to the existing ones patrolling MTA stations and platforms. Meanwhile, back in Maryland, the Montgomery County Council has defunded the police since 2020. Heckuva job, Brownie!

2 robberies in 24 hours at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police were busy at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda as the last week in January began. Officers responded to two robberies in 24 hours at the popular retail center at 7101 Democracy Boulevard. A strong-arm robbery was reported at the mall on Sunday, January 26, at 6:30 PM. Less than 24 hours later, on Monday, January 27, a second robbery was called in at 12:40 PM. A business at the mall was the victim in that robbery. The tenant has not yet been identified. An unspecified weapon was implied or employed in the second robbery, but it was not a gun.

Montgomery Mall had nearly made it to the end of the first month of 2025 without a violent crime taking place there. Eleven assaults were reported at the mall in 2024, up from five in 2023. The last assault was on November 12, 2024. A new leadership team was brought into the mall by parent company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield ten days later. The peak holiday shopping period from Black Friday through Christmas then passed uneventfully, in terms of crime. Only the typical shoplifting calls expected at any mall during the holiday season were reported during that time. January had likewise been violent-crime-free, until this past Sunday.

Man charged in Rockville double homicide

Montgomery County police have arrested a man in connection with a double homicide that took place in the early morning hours of Friday, January 17, 2025 in Rockville. The shocking incident first came to the attention of law enforcement when a County police officer was driving along Shady Grove Road at 3:16 AM, and noticed a vehicle stopped in the intersection with Research Boulevard. Inside the white BMW, the officer found Marcell Jordan Hebron, 26, of Rockville. The officer determined that Hebron was deceased. Bullet holes were visible in the windshield of the BMW.

About four hours later, at 7:40 AM, Rockville City police received a call from a nearby parking lot at 2 Research Court. The caller advised there was a dead body in the parking lot. Rockville officers arrived at the scene to find Leilani Marroquin, 27, of Rockville. Marroquin was also deceased. Officers noted she had suffered gunshot wounds, and recovered shell casings in the immediate vicinity.

Montgomery County police detectives investigating both deaths determined they were homicides. They identified Kaloyan Dimov Stoev, 25, of no fixed address, as the suspect in both homicides. By noon on Friday, detectives had located Stoev at an unspecified location in Rockville, and placed him under arrest. Stoev was transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, and additional handgun related charges. He is being held without bond. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been established to pay funeral expenses for the victims and their families.

Montgomery County police to stage sobriety checkpoint tonight, December 13

If you drive while intoxicated tonight, Friday the 13th may truly be your unlucky day. Montgomery County police will conduct a sobriety checkpoint somewhere in the county tonight, December 13, 2024, beginning around 10:00 PM. The exact location is not being disclosed by the police department for obvious reasons, but you could anticipate it will be on a major road. Drunk-and-drugged driving and crash statistics are employed in choosing the site of the checkpoint. Any driver showing signs of intoxication will be ordered to pull over for further testing.