News Releases

Detectives Investigate Credit Card Fraud Related to Earlier Bethesda Home Invasion Robbery; Surveillance Photographs of Separate Suspect Released

For Immediate Release: Friday, April 26, 2019

Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division continue to investigate the March 30 robbery that occurred inside a home in Bethesda.  During this home invasion robbery, a male suspect stole the victim’s purse which included her credit cards.  Today, investigators are releasing surveillance photographs of a separate male suspect who fraudulently used the victim’s credit cards after the robbery and are asking for the public’s help in identifying him.

On Saturday, March 30 at approximately 4:46 a.m., 2nd District officers responded to a residence in the 6800 block of Wisconsin Avenue for the report of a home invasion robbery that had just occurred.

The investigation by detectives determined that earlier in the evening, the adult female victim had been out with friends in the downtown Bethesda area when she ordered a ridesharing service back to her residence.  The suspect arrived at the victim’s location and the victim got into the suspect’s vehicle believing that he was the driver for the rideshare that she had ordered.  The suspect drove the victim to her residence and demanded payment.  The victim stated to detectives that she told the driver that she had paid for the rideshare through the rideshare’s app and that she did not owe the driver additional money.  The suspect followed the victim into her apartment building and then followed her into an elevator.  While in the elevator, the suspect unsuccessfully attempted to steal the victim’s purse.   The suspect then followed the victim off the elevator and into her apartment.   Once in the victim’s apartment, the suspect stole property and then fled.

At approximately 10:00 a.m. that morning, the separate male suspect was captured on store surveillance video fraudulently using the victim’s credit cards to purchase merchandise at stores in Arlington, Virginia and Landover, Maryland.

Anyone with information about this suspect or the home invasion robbery is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5100 or Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest in this case. To be eligible for a reward, tipsters must call Crime Solvers. Callers may remain anonymous.

rlg/CTJ

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Release ID: 19-155
Media Contact: Rick Goodale 
Categories: credit-credit-theft-andor-fraud, home-invasion, robbery