A female restaurant employee told officers that the driver approached her from behind, and "hovered" there. The driver then "aggressively" grabbed the bagged order from the employee, knocking her off-balance.
Police have not released a physical description of the driver, whose identity they say remains unknown at this time. No word if the driver asked the "inappropriate question," however.
The mall is currently on a pace to equal the number of assaults reported at the popular retail center in 2022, which was 12. That would be more than double the total assault reports at the mall last year, when only 5 such incidents were reported. Last year's drop in violent crime at the property came after Montgomery County police established a "resource room" inside the mall.
Detectives have not yet stated whether they know the identity of the suspected shooter. But they have said that they have reason to believe there is no threat posed to the general public in relation to this incident. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Cpl. Andreas Floros at 240-314-8959, or via email at AFloros@RockvilleMD.Gov. Tipsters may choose to remain anonymous.
Residents want to "let the City Council know that public safety, funding and support for the Rockville Police Department is important, especially given the increasing crime throughout Rockville and the County, as a whole," rally organizer Brigitta Mullican said in a press release about tonight's effort. The Mayor and Council will be holding a hearing on the city's FY-2025 budget during their meeting tonight.
Last month, Rockville City Police Chief Victor Brito told the Mayor and Council that his department is now handling 88% of emergency calls within the city limits. That's up from 71% in 2018. Mullican said that she will be testifying during tonight's public hearing for an increase in police funding and salaries.
Recruitment has become a challenge nationwide, as officers in many jurisdictions where elected officials have disparaged or criticized police - including Montgomery County - have either retired early, or moved to other departments around the region or country that are perceived as being more supportive of police officers. The competition for the reduced number of people choosing to enter the law enforcement field has become intense as a result. Rockville must remain competitive with officer salaries and benefits to attract enough officers to handle its increased responsibilities.
Participants in tonight's rally outside City Hall, located at 111 Maryland Avenue, are asked to bring signs showing support for Rockville City police. A group photo will be taken to show the size of support from residents for City officers.
On Wednesday, March 6, police say the same suspect tried his luck in Montgomery Village, breaking into Vida Hair Salon at 19122 Montgomery Village Avenue at 11:02 PM. He allegedly took cash from the cash register and fled. A few hours later, at 3:21 AM on March 7, the suspect allegedly broke into Dollar Tree, Moe's Southwest Grill, Ledo Pizza and The Joint - all at the Montgomery Village Center. He is accused of stealing money from Moe's. The suspect then broke into the Metro by T-Mobile store at 9989 Stedwick Road in Montgomery Village.
Detectives are working with all of the business owners who were affected to determine if any other property or cash was stolen from their spaces. Police describe the suspect as an adult Black male, approximately 5-feet, 10-inches in height, with a slim build. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Detectives have released a photo of the suspect, shown above.
Anyone with information regarding this suspect or these crimes is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org, and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page, or call 1-866-411-8477. Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
