Smash-and-grab robberies investigated at mobile phone stores in Montgomery County

GERMANTOWN, Md. - Authorities are investigating after two smash-and-grab robberies were reported Tuesday morning in Montgomery County.

Officers responded to the T-Mobile store near Great Seneca Highway and Wisteria Drive in the Germantown area just after 12:50 a.m. where they found burglars had smashed the glass front door of the business. It is unclear if anything was taken.

FOX 5's Melanie Alnwick was at the scene and said the phones in the store's display cases were missing.

Just about an hour later, police say burglars struck the Verizon store on Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood. Alnwick says an employee told her the thieves stole phones from the front display cases, and were also able to steal electronics from the back.

Police say they saw a van parked in the back of the store and saw one suspect inside the store. The suspect the left the store and fled the scene in the van. After a brief pursuit, officers caught the suspect on Mt. Pisgah Road.

The suspect was transported to the Central Processing Unit on open warrants unrelated to the burglaries. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 301-279-8000.