Pizzeria Holdup Leads To Arrests Of Serial Armed Robbery Suspects

BETHESDA, MD — Two Washington, D.C., residents have been charged with armed robbery and police said one of the suspects held up four Montgomery County pizza places in the past three weeks.

Detectives have arrested and charged Terrance Barfield, 22, and Jaylen Cunningham, 18, both of Washington, D.C., in connection with an Oct. 8 armed robbery at Manny & Olga’s Pizza in Bethesda.

Montgomery County police officers were conducting surveillance about 10:30 p.m. in the central business district of Bethesda that night when they saw two men walking into the pizzeria at 8118 Woodmont Ave.

Soon after, the pair left the restaurant and drove away in a silver Hyundai Tucson, which officers determined had been reported stolen the day before in Prince George’s County. Officers followed the suspects and stopped their SUV near Jones Bridge Road and Grier Road in Chevy Chase, where both men were taken into custody without incident.

An employee at Manny & Olga’s told investigators the two suspects entered the restaurant, and one implied he had a weapon while demanding money from the register. Both suspects took cash and left the business.

Police said Barfield committed three additional armed robberies of pizza restaurants in Montgomery County between Sept. 23 and Oct. 1:

• Domino’s Pizza, 4817 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda (robbed Sept. 23)
• Pizza Hut, 12335 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring (robbed Sept. 28)
• Papa John’s, 7200 47th St., Chevy Chase (robbed Oct. 1)

Barfield and Cunningham were taken to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where they were charged with armed robbery, motor vehicle theft, and related offenses. Both are being held without bond.