Bystander Chases Purse-Snatcher at Library: Howard County Crime Reports

Columbia

Robbery

A man snatched a woman's purse as she was walking in the East Columbia Branch Library parking lot at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 2. A man who witnessed the robbery, chased after the purse-snatcher. When the man caught up to the suspect, the suspect dropped the purse and ran into an unknown direction. Police described the suspect as a white male, 17 to 18-years-old, 5-foot-10 to 6-foot, with brown hair, wearing a dark colored hooded jacket, dark pants, and a black or blue striped t-shirt underneath the jacket.

Assault

Police said a delivery driver for Domino's Pizza was shoved by two men, who used what appeared to be a false name and phone number to attract the driver to a vacant home shortly after midnight on Oct. 3.

Residential burglary - arrest

Two teens were arrested after being found hiding under a stairwell inside a residence in the 8500 block of Window Latch Way during the morning of Oct. 1. A resident inside the home called police after hearing the teens enter the home. The resident informed police they were hiding downstairs. Melton Montgomery, 19 of Graystone Lane in Columbia, and a 16-year-old juvenile were charged with burglary.

Residential burglary attempt

A rear screen door was bent back on a residence in the 6100 block of Stevens Forest Road, but no entry appeared to have been made to the home sometime between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29.

Residential burglary

A witness reported seeing two men carrying a stove out of a residence in the 7100 block of Winter Rose Path during the afternoon of Oct. 1. Police reported a necklace and two wedding rings were also taken from the residence.

Ellicott City

Burglary

Jewelry, an antique cash box and a cardboard box were stolen from a residence in the 9000 block of Dunloggin Road on Sept. 30. Police reported someone may have entered through an unlocked sliding door.

Elkridge

Armed robbery

A man armed with a handgun robbed the Holiday Inn Express in the 6000 block of Marshalee Drive on Oct. 1 at 10:30 p.m. The man walked into the hotel, approached the counter, showed the clerk a handgun and demanded money, which the clerk gave to him. Then the man fled. Police described the suspect as a black male, about 6-foot, wearing a tan hoodie, ski mask, gloves and dark pants.

Construction site burglary

Someone cut their way into a construction site through a fence, then removed a lock from a storage trailer and stole bundles of copper wire. The burglary occurred overnight on Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 in the 7500 block of Hearthside Way. 

North Laurel

Residential burglary

Jewelry and a laptop were stolen from a residence in the 8000 block of McKenstry Drive during the day on Sept. 30. A neighbor said someone knocked on the door of the residence earlier in the day, but left when a dog barked.

Jessup

Burglary arrest

Two men were spotted by a witness in a restricted parking garage ducking between vehicles in the 8100 block of Washington Blvd. around 10 p.m. on Oct. 2. Police arrived and the two men fled. Police pursued them. An Upper Marlboro man attempted to escape by scaling a fence, but was later arrested. The second man escaped.