WASHINGTON – The police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the people they say are behind the theft of more than $18,000 of electronics from area cellphone stores.
The Montgomery County police say that the thefts all followed the same sequence: A group of two or three people enters a cellphone store, pull the display phones and tablets from the cords that hold them to the shelves, then take off. The whole theft is completed in around 30 seconds, the police say.
The five thefts happened at four stores:
- June 25, at the AT&T Store on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton;
- June 27, at the T-Mobile store on University Boulevard West in Wheaton;
- July 19, at the AT&T store on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton (again);
- July 21, at the AT&T store on Rockville Pike in Rockville;
- July 30, at the AT&T store on East Gude Drive, in Rockville.
In the last robbery, police say, the suspects assaulted two workers on their way out, inflicting non-life threatening injuries.
If you’ve seen any of these suspects, the police ask you to call them at 240-773-5476. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest; they’re at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), and you don’t have to give your name.
