Robbers Lurking Outside Cars: Columbia Crime

COLUMBIA, MD — The Howard County Police Department provided the following information about recent incidents in the Columbia area. In the past week, officials said there were four robberies, seven burglaries and two shootings in Columbia.

A man robbed the 7-Eleven in the 5700 block of Columbia Road. At 4:25 a.m. on Jan. 11, the suspect went into the store, demanded money from the clerk and left with an undisclosed amount of cash. Nobody was injured in the robbery. The suspect was described as a 5'10" tall black man between 18 and 24 years old wearing a black jacket, dark blue jeans and tan/brown boots.

A man was robbed by four people — one armed with a gun — as he was getting out of his vehicle in the 6300 block of Bright Plume. The robbery occurred at approximately 12:45 a.m. on Jan. 11. The suspects threatened the victim, then stole his cash, house keys and car keys. There were no injuries. The suspects were described as four Asian men: one was 6' tall and 150 pounds, wearing a t-shirt and black jeans; and another man was described as 5'7" tall, wearing a black leather jacket and white t-shirt.

While she was getting out of her vehicle, a woman was robbed of her purse in the 5900 block of Turnabout Lane at midnight on Jan. 10. Her wallet, containing cash and a credit card, were stolen by a suspect described simply as a man with a light-colored jacket. There was not any more information.

A Pizza Hut delivery driver was allegedly robbed by three youths who approached him in the 5700 block of Stevens Forest Road and asked him to make change at approximately 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 6. When he opened his wallet, the boys took it and ran away. Nobody was injured.

Shootings

A man walked into Howard County General Hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, which was reported to police at 10:09 p.m. on Jan. 6. Police believe the shooting occurred in the 8700 block of Hayshed Lane and was not related to any other weekend incidents; another man was found shot in the leg at 5:15 p.m. on Old Dobbin Lane on Jan. 7. The Hayshed Lane victim's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Nearby: A teen in the 8500 block of Dorsey Run Road in Jessup was hospitalized for a nonfatal gunshot wound at 10:55 p.m. on Jan. 9. The victim was not believed to have been shot in the immediate area. The shooting is under investigation. The teenage boy was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Burglaries

A resident in the 10300 block of Hickory Ridge Road confronted a man who came into the home through a back slider. The suspect fled, and nothing was reported stolen in the burglary, which was at 6 p.m. on Jan. 8.

The front window was broken at Patrick's Hair Design in the 9100 block of Red Branch Road. The burglary was reported before 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 8. Nothing was reported stolen.

Copper wire was stolen from the Costello Construction office in the 10100 block of Little Patuxent Parkway between Jan. 7 and Jan. 9. A piece of plywood was removed from the fence to facilitate the burglary.

A burglar was caught in the act in the 6200 block of Parallel Lane at 3:44 a.m. on Jan. 7. The resident returned home as the suspect was leaving with a backpack, electronics, cash and knives. The suspect dropped some of the items and ran away. There were not any signs of forced entry in the burglary. The suspect was described as a 20-year-old white man who was 5'8" tall and 175 pounds, wearing a black sweatshirt and hat.

The glass front door was broken at Peking Chinese Restaurant in the 7000 block of Oakland Mills Road, where at 3:35 a.m. on Jan. 7 someone broke in and stole cash.

Glass doors were broken at the Dollar Tree in the 7000 block of Oakland Mills Road at 2:53 a.m. on Jan. 7. Cash was stolen from the business.

Cash was stolen from Edible Arrangements in the 6900 block of Oakland Mills Road. The front door glass was shattered in the break-in, which was reported at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 6.

Theft: Change and one pair of sunglasses were stolen from unlocked in the 10600 block of High Beam Court. The thefts were reported at approximately 7:15 a.m. on Jan. 10.