News Releases

For Immediate Release: Monday, October 3, 2016

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department – 3^rd District Investigative Section have charged Stephen Murray, age 46, of an unconfirmed address, with the September 27 theft of coins from parking meters that were located inside a Montgomery County owned parking garage in Silver Spring.

On September 28, 3^rd District officers were contacted by a Montgomery County Department of Transportation employee who reported a theft of coins from parking meters in the county owned parking garage located at 8530 Cameron Street.

The employee stated to officers that the Department of Transportation noted discrepancies in the average anticipated revenue from the parking meters and what was actually being collected. The Department of Transportation suspected someone was stealing change from the meters. Officers reviewed target="_blank"> video surveillance from inside the parking garage and observed that on Tuesday, September 27 at approximately 3:08 a.m., the suspect, later identified as Murray, opened several parking meters and removed coins. The employee stated to officers that a special key is required to open the meters and that a separate key is then needed to open the coin boxes located inside the parking meters. The employee further told officers that Murray was not an employee of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation and was not authorized to open the meters.

The surveillance video of the suspect stealing from the parking meters was then disseminated to other MCP officers in an effort to identify him. On Friday, September 30 at approximately 3:05 a.m., a 3^rd District officer observed Murray at 1101 Bonifant Street and recognized him from the surveillance video. The officer stopped Murray and found that he was in possession of two large bags of quarters, totaling approximately $1000.00, and keys capable of unlocking the parking meters.

Murray was arrested and transported to the Central Processing Unit (CPU) where he was charged with theft offenses. Murray was ordered held on a $1,500 bond.

RLG