2 Charged In Howard County Gun Store Drive-Through Burglary: HCPD

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Two people are charged in a gun shop burglary in Howard County that involved driving into the storefront to steal firearms, according to police. After the suspects were arrested in a similar case in Montgomery County, the Howard County Police Department reported its office recovered some of the stolen weapons and filed charges.

Federal and local authorities are part of the investigation into the gun store burglaries, which happened about 24 hours apart in Maple Lawn and Rockville.

Terrance Massey Jr., 21, of Annapolis, will be served with an arrest warrant out of Howard County charging him with burglary, destruction of property, auto theft, reckless endangerment, theft and handgun violations, police said.

Currently, Massey is being held without bail in Montgomery County, where he was charged with having a stolen firearm, second-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary with the intent to steal a firearm.

A 15-year-old from Glen Burnie is also being charged in the case, and Howard County police reported Monday that he was being held in a juvenile detention facility.

Police said the duo burglarized a gun store near Laurel around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12. A stolen car rammed its way into Fox's Firearms in the 11200 block of Scaggsville Road, where authorities said 18 guns were stolen.

Investigators linked the burglary to a similar case in Montgomery County that happened nearly 24 hours later.

Police said a stolen car with five people inside rammed United Gun Shop in the 5400 block of Randolph Road in Rockville, triggering the alarm around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 13.

When police arrived minutes later, the suspects drove a second stolen car that was their getaway vehicle at a police cruiser, and the officer whose cruiser was hit fired several shots at the car, police said. The getaway vehicle went about 0.25 mile before becoming disabled.

Four suspects took off, and officers found three handguns in the vehicle and Marquis Weems, 17, of Anne Arundel County, deceased at the scene, officials reported.

As police searched for the rest of the suspects, authorities said they found a bag of guns from the Rockville store in a resident's backyard.

Montgomery County police said three suspects were arrested — Massey, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old.

Police in Howard County said the investigation in Montgomery County, including the discovery of four guns stolen from Fox Firearms, connected Massey and the 15-year-old to the Scaggsville Road break-in.

Altogether, police allege 45 guns were taken from the two stores, and 24 are still at large.

• Police said Monday there were 18 guns stolen in Howard County, 14 of which are still out there.
• Police said Friday that 27 guns were stolen in Montgomery County, with 10 outstanding.

"Investigators continue to work with the ATF to develop further information regarding the stolen firearms from both the Montgomery County and Howard County gun store burglaries," the Montgomery County Police Department said in a statement on Friday.

Anyone with information about the Howard County burglary may call police at 410-313-STOP or email HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov.

Anyone with information about the Rockville crime or additional suspects may contact the Major Crimes Division of the Montgomery County Police Department at 240-773-5070. To be eligible for a reward, tipsters can call the Montgomery County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or enter a tip online. Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest or indictment of the suspect. Callers can remain anonymous.

• Gun Store Burglarized In Drive-Through On Scaggsville Road: HCPD
• Gun Shop Robbery: Arrests Made, Dead Suspect Identified
• Suspect Killed In Gun Store Robbery Had Loaded Gun At High School

— By Patch editors Alessia Grunberger and Elizabeth Janney.