Police Investigating Whether String of Armed Robberies are Linked

Police in Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Harford counties are investigating whether a string of armed robberies over the weekend are connected.

In Glen Burnie, two 7-Eleven stores that are about three miles apart—one in the 7300 block of West Furnace Branch Road and one in the 1600 block of East Furnace Branch Road—were reported to be robbed at gunpoint within 15 minutes of each other Sunday by one suspect or suspects with similar descriptions, police said.

In each instance, a man entered the store armed with a gun and demanded money from an employee, who turned over an undisclosed amount of money and ran from the scene, according to a press release from Anne Arundel County Police. Officers received a call about the robbery at the 7-Eleven on West Furnace Branch at about 3:25 a.m. and another call for a robbery at the 7-Eleven on East Furnace Branch about at 3:40 a.m.

A man matching the description of the robber in the two 7-Eleven stores on Sunday in Glen Burnie is being sought in robberies in Essex and Dundalk.

Earlier Sunday morning, a man entered a 7-Eleven store in Essex at about 2:10 a.m. and held up the store at gunpoint, according to Baltimore County police reports. The robber ordered a customer out and robbed the clerk before escaping with about $115, two packs of cigarettes and a cigar.

Then, about 40 minutes later, Baltimore County police responded to the unit block of Baltimore Avenue in Dundalk for a reported armed robbery at a Royal Farms store.

Police also are investigating whether the same suspect is responsible for . In one, a man fled a High's near the Festival shopping center with no cash or items after an employee activated the store alarm. About 20 minutes later, an unidentified gas station employee was shot in the chest at the Bel Air  at the intersection of West MacPhail Road and Maryland Route 24.

“We are in constant contact with surrounding jurisdictions and investigating whether all of these cases are related,” Baltimore County police spokesman Detective Cathy Batton said. “Right now, we have not determined whether that is the case, but are continuing to explore all possible leads.”

Bel Air Chief of Police Leo Matrangola told Patch he believes the suspect in the Exxon shooting is the same man who attempted an armed robbery at the Bel Air South Parkway High's at about 10:15 p.m Saturday. That convenience store is a little more than two miles north of the Exxon.

In each robbery, the suspect was described as a man wearing dark-colored clothing and a ski mask while brandishing a handgun.

Glen Burnie Patch Editor Maya T. Prabhu contributed to this report.