Violent armed robbers target 2 separate Asian business owners in Montgomery County, police say
TAKOMA PARK, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Montgomery County police detectives are investigating two separate armed robberies of Asian business owners that happened in the Takoma Park/Silver Spring area.
Investigators believe that the suspects followed both of the victims from their businesses to their homes in an effort to rob them of money from their businesses. They also believe both incidents may be related.
According to police, officers responded to a home in the 4th District on January 7 at around 10:57 p.m. after receiving a report of a robbery that had just occurred.
A woman, who is the owner of a takeout restaurant in Takoma Park, had just arrived at her house and told police she was approached by three Black male suspects. The woman says one of the suspects hit her on her head and stole her purse, which included cash from her business, and the keys to her vehicle.
When a man who witnessed the robbery came to the woman’s aid, police say one of the suspects pointed a handgun at him and robbed him of his wallet.
Police say the three suspects then fled the area in a vehicle.
On Feb. 7, at around 11:03 p.m., officers responded to the woman’s restaurant in Takoma Park after receiving a report of a stolen vehicle. Police say that during the day, an unknown suspect had stolen her silver SUV, which they say was parked outside of her restaurant.
Investigators say it is "probable that the vehicle keys stolen during the robbery [on Jan. 7] were later used to steal the victim’s vehicle."
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This week, on Feb. 16 at around 8:59 p.m., police say officers responded to a report of a robbery that happened in the 1800 block of Briggs Road.
A woman was driving from her carryout restaurant in Silver Spring to her home when she was rear-ended by a vehicle. Police say when the woman got out of her car to check on the damage, the occupants from the other vehicle – two men who she described as Hispanic – got out of the car they were in and threw her to the ground.
When one of the suspects reportedly pointed a handgun at the woman, police say the other suspect went into her vehicle and stole her purse, which contain money from her business. The suspects then fled the scene in a silver SUV.
Police say, the next day, the vehicle stolen from the first woman was recovered unoccupied in an area near the second robbery.
If you have any information about these robberies, call police at 240-773-5070. Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).