Woman Robs Nearly $10K Of Designer Sunglasses From Two Stores, Police Said

CHEVY CHASE, MD — Montgomery County Police charged a DC woman with robbery and theft offenses related to two different robberies in Friendship Heights and Bethesda, police announced Thursday.

Stephan Simms, 27, was charged for the December 5 commercial robbery of the ILORI store in Friendship Heights and the January 5 armed robbery of the Specs New York store located in the Westfiled Montgomery Mall.

On December 30, detectives released surveillance video of the ILORI store robbery suspect to the media and public and asked for help in identifying her. Investigators received a tip which led to the identification of Simms as the suspect, police said.

Simms entered the designer sunglass and eyeglass store ILORI at 5530 Western Ave. and immediately used pepper spray on a store employee. She then stole five Chanel sunglasses worth a total of $3,600 from a display case and fled, police said.

Simms was also identified as the suspect involved in the Specs New York store robbery, police said.

During the Specs New York robbery, Simms and a second unidentified suspect stole multiple brands of sunglasses having a total value of $6,200. A store employee was pepper sprayed by Simms as she followed the suspects from the store, police said.

See Related: Luxury Sunglass Boutique Robbery Suspect Image Released

Detectives are still searching for the second suspect who accompanied Simms, police said.

Simms was arrested in DC on February 14 on the strength of the Montgomery County arrest warrants, police said. She was charged with: armed robbery, theft: $1,000 to under $10,000, and the use of mace and/or a chemical device with the intent to injure.

Simms was extradited to Montgomery County and transported to the Central Processing Unit (CPU) where she was ordered to be held without bond, police told Patch.

The unidentified suspect:

Anyone who recognizes the additional suspect is asked to call the 2nd District Investigative Section at 240-773-6710. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call 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 and/or an indictment for this crime.

Photo/Video: Montgomery County Police Department