Police Report Suspects Assaulted Store Employees During Theft Of Goods

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Employees at two different stores reported being assaulted by suspects who had stolen merchandise, according to police.

A store employee at the Grocery Outlet, located in the 5400 block of Lynx Lane in Columbia, told Howard County Police that on April 17 around 9:40 a.m., he confronted a man suspected of steal merchandise. The man assaulted the store employee then took off, police reported.

A store employee at the Walmart located in the 6400 block of Dobbin Road in Columbia told police that on April 20 around 10:55 p.m., he confronted two suspects believed to have stolen merchandise. One of the suspects pepper-sprayed the employee before taking off, police reported.

Two homes in Ellicott City and Elkridge were broken into, also. A home in the 3100 block of Wheaton Way, Ellicott City, was broken into April 18. The suspect pried open a sliding door and stole cash and jewelry, police reported. Another home located in the 8000 block of Joetta Drive, Elkridge, was broken into April 20 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Police reported that the suspect entered the home by forcing open a door, but nothing was believed to have been stolen.