GERMANTOWN, MD – Two juveniles, upset that they were kicked out of a Germantown tobacco and vape shop, returned later in ski masks to rob the store.
Montgomery County Police reported that on Thursday, at approximately 6 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Tobacco and Vape Zone in the 13000 block of Wisteria Dr. in Germantown.
“Earlier that day, at approximately 3:15 p.m., a store employee was sitting outside the store when three teenagers approached the front of the store. The employee recognized the three teens and told all three they were too young to enter the store, and to leave. Words were exchanged between the teens and the employee, and the teens left,” police said.
According to police, a short time later, two of the juveniles returned, with suspect number one wearing a black ski mask covering his face and head.
“He walked quickly to the front door and entered the store. As the employee stood up to stop him from going inside, suspect number two attempted to hit the victim,” MCPD said in a press release today. “Once inside the store, suspect number one went behind the store counter. The employee followed and attempted to remove him from behind the counter. There was a physical altercation between suspect number one and the store employee.”
The suspect then grabbed several tobacco products. The victim attempted to call 911 but the suspect knocked the phone out of his hands.
The second suspect, who had been outside, put his ski mask on and entered the store. Both suspects then fled the store and ran behind the shopping center.
On July 8, 2022, a 5th District patrol officer recognized the suspects from the robbery after seeing their pictures.
“He observed three juveniles walking on Century Blvd near Crystal Rock Dr. The officer exited his marked patrol car and asked the group to stop. All three juveniles ran. After a brief foot chase, suspect number one was apprehended. He was arrested and transported to the 5D station,” the department said.
The other teen suspect was located a short time later.