Rockville robbers demand coat at knifepoint

Armed robbers in Rockville demanded a man's coat in broad daylight on December 6, 2024, Rockville City police say. When he refused to take it off and hand it to them, they pulled out a kitchen knife to make their point. The two suspects approached the victim as he was at work cleaning outdoors in the 300 block of Hungerford Drive at 9:00 AM, in the busy Rockville Town Center area. 

Having threatened the victim with the knife, the suspects were successful in obtaining the victim's coat, wallet, and additional outerwear he had been wearing at the time. Police describe Suspect #1 as a Black male, tall with a muscular build, and wearing a black Nike hat, blue coat, and brown pants. Suspect #2 is described as a Black male "significantly shorter” than his partner, wearing a ski mask, brown sweater, white shirt, and brown pants. If you can identify either of these suspects, call police at 240-314-8900.

Rockville church vandal sentenced

A Rockville man pled guilty last Friday to three charges related to vandalism at Faith United Methodist Church earlier this year. The repeated acts of vandalism took place between May 25 and September 6 at the church, which is located at 6810 Montrose Road in Rockville. Under a plea agreement reached with the Montgomery County State's Attorney's office, Joshua Delaney received a suspended jail sentence of one year and five months. 

Because the church asked Montgomery County District Court Judge John C. Moffett to not send Delaney to jail, Moffett instead issued a sentence of three years' probation, 40 hours of community service, and $711 in restitution to the church. The judge also issued protective orders barring Delaney from contacting the church, or trespassing on the church property. Moffett additionally imposed a therapy requirement.

If Delaney meets the other terms of his sentence, his probation will become unsupervised. According to Maryland court records, he pled guilty to malicious destruction of property valued under $1000, race/religious harassment and antagonism toward a religious institution, and theft of property worth less than $100. 

The Faith UMC Church Council announced this morning that it will donate the $711 in restitution it receives from Delaney to Rainbow Place Shelter in Rockville, in support of its work to open a shelter for unhoused LGBTQ youth. Faith UMC celebrated 60 years of worship in Rockville this past September.

Photo courtesy Faith UMC

Rockville delivery driver declares, "I hate the Pope," before assaulting resident

A Rockville delivery driver allegedly made a special delivery of anti-Catholic hate and violence at an apartment building on December 8, 2024. The driver entered a residential building in the 200 block of Monroe Street at 2:01 PM that afternoon. Upon seeing a photograph of the Pope, he allegedly vandalized the photo, and declared, "I hate the Pope." The driver then shoved a cart into a resident of the building, Rockville City police say.

Police describe the suspect as a Black male of 20 to 29 years of age, 6'3" in height, and with an athletic build. He was wearing a black "hair cap," black headphones, a short-sleeved vest, black pants, and light-colored shoes with dark soles. If you can identify the delivery driver, you are asked to call police at 240-314-8900.

Trenchcoat-wearing flasher strikes in Rockville

A flasher in a trenchcoat? The stereotype became reality in Rockville on December 5, 2024, according to Rockville City police. At 5:30 PM on the pedestrian bridge in the 200 block of Rockville Pike by the Rockville Metro station, an adult male wearing a trenchcoat and a skull cap suddenly grabbed the victim who was passing by, and exposed himself. He then ran away. Police have not released any further description of the suspect as of this writing. If you can identify him, call police at 240-314-8900.

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. 

Police called after assault at recreation center in Rockville

Montgomery County police were called to a recreation center in Rockville Monday afternoon, December 9, 2024, after someone reported having been assaulted there. The assault was reported at a recreation center in the 14600 block of Bauer Drive at 4:11 PM Monday. Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center is located on that block.

Assault at bus stop in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a bus stop in Rockville yesterday afternoon, December 8, 2024. The assault was reported at a bus stop in the 700 block of Hungerford Drive at 2:39 PM Sunday. That is on MD 355, just north of the Rockville Town Center area, in the vicinity of the U.S. Post Office and Rockville City Centre shopping center.

Rockville police searching for suspect who sexually assaulted woman

Rockville City police are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating a suspect who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in the King Farm neighborhood on November 28, 2024. Around 2:00 PM that day, the male suspect approached a female pedestrian at the intersection of Redland Boulevard and Reserve Champion Drive. According to police, the suspect grabbed the victim in a "bear hug," and "repeatedly thrust himself in a sexual motion."

The victim began filming the suspect using her cell phone. When the suspect realized he was being recorded, he grabbed her phone and smashed it, before fleeing on foot. Police describe the suspect as a Black male, 20 to 29 years of age, and about 6' in height. He was clean-shaven with an "athletic-build." At the time of the assault, he was wearing gray sweatpants, a black hoodie, and a beanie-style knit hat with a pattern on it. If you can identify the suspect, or have any other information about this incident, call police at 240-314-8900.

Rockville snack thief uses hot ramen cup as weapon in escape

A resourceful snack thief employed a steaming cup of ramen noodles against those blocking his escape in Rockville on November 20, 2024. Rockville City police report that the suspect was caught allegedly stealing a bag of chips from a business in the 200 block of N. Washington Street at 7:35 PM that evening. Confronted by employees, the suspect tossed the noodle cup at his accusers, and fled.

Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male with a red beard. He was wearing a brown jacket. If you can identify this suspect, you are asked to call police at 240-314-8900.

Armed robbery at Rockville convenience store

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed robbery at a convenience store in the Twinbrook area on Thanksgiving night, November 28, 2024. The robbery was reported at 10:02 PM at a store in the 13200 block of Atlantic Avenue. There is a 7-Eleven store on that block at 13251 Atlantic. A firearm was the weapon employed in the robbery. 

Do you recognize these alleged Rockville liquor store thieves?

Rockville City police are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating suspects who allegedly stole merchandise from a Montgomery County government-owned liquor store. The theft took place at the Montgomery County liquor store at 300 N. Washington Street, in the Rockville Town Center area. Police have released surveillance camera images of the suspects, of whom one clearly noticed the cameras, but was undeterred. If you can identify any of the suspects, you are asked to call Officer Boyd at 240-314-8955.

Police investigate assault at busy Rockville intersection

Montgomery County police are investigating an aggravated assault that took place at one of the busiest intersections in Rockville on November 12, 2024. At 10:39 PM that evening, police say, four suspects assaulted an adult male victim at the intersection of Frederick Road (MD 355) and E. Gude Drive. The suspects are described only as three Black males of unknown age, and one Black female of unknown age. If you have any information about this incident, or can identify any of the suspects involved, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Man assaults woman in Rockville Town Center

Rockville City police were called after a man assaulted a woman in the Rockville Town Center area on November 18, 2024. The victim was walking along a sidewalk past 101 Monroe Street at 4:00 PM that afternoon. A man unknown to the victim approached, and suddenly bumped her off the sidewalk and spat on her. He also made threatening statements toward her, police said.

Police have not released a description of the suspect. If you have any information about the suspect or this incident, call police at 240-314-8900.

Assault at Rockville gas station

There was pain at the pumps at a Rockville Town Center-area gas station early Wednesday evening, November 20, 2024 - and not just related to the high gas prices. Rockville City police were called to a gas station in the 200 block of N. Washington Street, after someone reported having been the victim of a 2nd-degree assault there. The assault was reported at 7:25 PM Wednesday.

Rockville road rage ends in arrest

A road rage incident in Rockville led to an arrest and multiple charges on November 13, 2024, Rockville City police report. The incident took place in the 1300 block of Edmonston Drive at 11:00 AM. A Rockville City police officer ultimately took a 62-year-old Rockville man into custody. The suspect has been charged with felony robbery, 2nd-degree assault, malicious destruction of property, theft, and disorderly conduct.

According to Maryland court records, the suspect posted $5000 bond, and has been released pending trial. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for December 13 at 9:30 AM in Maryland District Court in Rockville.

Police called after assault at Rockville hotel

Rockville City police were called to a hotel early Sunday afternoon, November 17, 2024, after someone reported having been the victim of a 2nd-degree assault there. The assault was reported at a hotel in the 16000 block of Shady Grove Road at 1:10 PM Sunday. Red Roof Plus+ is located on that block of Shady Grove.

Assault in Rockville Town Center

Rockville City police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault in the Town Center area Monday afternoon, November 18, 2024. The assault was reported in the 100 block of Monroe Street at 4:30 PM. That is near the Montgomery County Executive Office Building.

Rockville park dispute ends with punch to nose

A disagreement between two groups in a Rockville park ended with a physical assault, Rockville City police report. The two groups were visiting a park in the 300 block of Martins Lane on the evening of November 6, 2024, when a dispute broke out between them at 10:00 PM. A member of one of the groups then punched a member of the other group in the nose.

The victim then called 911. Police describe the suspect as a person of "unknown race, unknown gender," with a thin build and "dark complexion." The suspect is about 5'11" tall. They were wearing all black clothing, and wore their hair in a "top bun." If you can identify this suspect, call police at 240-314-8900.

Diner wrestles auto thief for car keys in Rockville

A lunchtime meal at a Rockville restaurant came with a bonus wrestling match on November 7, 2024, Rockville City police report. Around 12:10 PM, a would-be auto thief grabbed the car keys of a diner at a restaurant in the 2100 block of Veirs Mill Road. The male suspect then attempted to use the keys to steal the victim's car in the parking lot outside. A physical struggle ensued between the suspect and the victim, in which the victim prevailed.

Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male, 20 to 30 years of age, with a thin build. He has black hair with a short buzz cut, and thin facial hair on his chin. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a black shirt, a black baseball hat, and green, black, and white Asics sneakers. If you can identify this suspect, or have any other information about this incident, you are asked to call police at 240-314-8900.

Strong-arm robbery in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery on the morning of November 13, 2024. The robbery was reported on the street in the 1300 block of Edmonston Drive at 11:00 AM Wednesday. That is a residential street near Veirs Mill Road and Hillcrest Park.