MoCo Home invasion update 7/18/07

In response to someone who once claimed that home invasions were a "myth," I have decided to start documenting the once-every-other-week home invasions that happen here in MoCo.

Due to the bad PR, it seems that local media black out these events. I really have to dig to get info on them. Whenever I find out about them, I will post an update under the "MoCo Home Invasions" tag.

Here are THREE over the past two weeks:

Gazette

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Masked gunmen take property from White Oak home
Alexandra Hiatt |

Three masked gunmen forced their way Thursday into a White Oak home in the early morning hours, attacked two of the residents and took property.

The townhouse in the 2100 block of Harlequin Terrace was occupied at the time of the robbery — about 4:30 a.m. — by four males, ages 15, 17, 23, and one of an unknown age. Montgomery County Police said three of the victims were residents.

Two of the residents were assaulted. The 23-year-old man was transported to an area hospital where he was treated and released, and the victim of unknown age, who was not a resident of the townhouse, ran from the residence. The nature of the injuries was not disclosed, but county police said none was serious. The intruders left the scene on foot.

The gunmen were black. One had a dark complexion and was wearing a white tank top under a black button-up shirt that was opened. Another had a light complexion and was wearing all black, and the third had a dark complexion and was wearing all black. At least one of the men wore sunglasses.

Police said the incident is similar to a home invasion robbery that occurred 4:20 a.m. July 10 in the unit block of State Court in Gaithersburg, but do not have enough information to link the cases.

Anyone with information is asked to call 240-773-5100. Callers can remain anonymous.

Man robs, sexually assaults woman in home

A man Takoma Park police say robbed and sexually assaulted a woman in her home on Lincoln Avenue Friday was videotaped using the victim’s bank cards at three locations shortly after the incident.

Police have footage of the man and are urging residents to call the department with information that could lead to his identification and arrest.

‘‘We need the public’s help. In this case, we feel this individual was in the neighborhood for quite a long period of time before the crime occurred,” Police Chief Ronald Ricucci told the City Council Monday night.

Police responded to the call in the 400 block of Lincoln Avenue about 11:45 p.m. According to a police news release, the man demanded money from the woman before ordering her to undress, tying her up and sexually assaulting her. The man left her residence with $25 in cash, two bank cards, her personal identification number to access the cash at three area banks and a laptop computer.

The man entered the woman’s home through a rear door that was unlocked, according to the release.

About 45 minutes after he committed the crime, Ricucci said, the man used the woman’s bank cards at three local banks’ machines.

The man was black, in his 20s, about 6 feet tall and weighing 180 pounds.

Anyone with information should call the Takoma Park Police Criminal Investigations Division at 301-270-1100.

Man stabbed;police list no motive

A man was in critical condition Monday in an area hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries following a stabbing early Friday morning in the Peppertree Farm community of Silver Spring.

Montgomery County Police say the victim, a 34-year-old resident of a condominium in the 3300 block of Weeping Willow Court, was stabbed about 1:30 a.m. and flown to the hospital by helicopter.

A motive for the stabbing remains under investigation and no suspect information was available from police, according to Cpl. Jimmy Robinson, a spokesman for county police.

Call police at 240-773-5530.