On Feb. 5, at around 9:15 p.m., an armed robbery took place at Chipotle on Old Georgetown Road. Authorities released the surveillance footage of the incident, and the video shows the suspect placing an order at the counter and then demanding the employee give him cash. The criminal then proceeded to unveil a handgun he had carried in his backpack. 

The cashier managed to flee the crime scene and alerted the Montgomery County Department of Police while the suspect attempted to open the cash register. Subsequently, the suspect used his firearm to threaten another Chipotle employee to open the register. 

Following the robbery, the suspect fled the scene. He is described as a Black male about 20 to 25 years old and about 5 feet, 7 inches tall.

The investigation is ongoing as law enforcement officials seek to find the suspect responsible for the armed robbery. A reward of up to 10,000 dollars is offered for any information leading to the suspect’s arrest.

A second robbery occurred on Feb. 17, at approximately 7:50 a.m., when the Montgomery County Department of Police responded to a report of a commercial armed robbery in the Dunkin Donuts on Old Georgetown Road. According to the police officers, the man entered the establishment and approached a Dunkin Donuts employee. The suspect indicated he was armed and demanded money from the cash register. 

The Dunkin Donuts employee complied and gave the criminal an unknown amount of cash. After collecting the money, the suspect fled the scene. Police have not found the robber and have offered up to $10,000 for any information that reveals the suspect’s identity.

Armed robberies have been an ongoing issue in the United States. In 1980, the Quebec Task Force was established to propose measures to reduce the occurrence of armed robberies. According to the United Nations statistics, North America experiences a violent crime rate five to ten times higher than European countries. According to the Office of Justice Programs, armed robberies primarily occur in urban areas, with approximately a fourth of robberies targeting banks and a third of robberies targeting small businesses.

Most perpetrators operate in pairs, and their victims are usually women. Identifying and arresting a suspect happens in one out of four robberies. The offenders are predominantly under the age of 18 and often come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and experience unemployment. 

The psychological impact on victims varies depending on the duration and frequency of the robberies. The task force recommends that to resolve the issues around armed robberies, the U.S. and Canada should establish a victim rights league to advocate for victims and investigate the judiciary’s consistent pattern of frequently permitting defendants to negotiate plea deals in court cases. Additionally, the task suggests that the governments should form a team of specialized prosecutors to cover armed robberies. 

“Armed robberies are a traumatic experience for the people that were present in the crime,” said sophomore Sophia Douoguih. She highlighted how the mental health of victims declines and how they may never recover from the experience. She also explained how “armed robberies can have a ripple effect on communities and make all the people living there scared.” Douoguih acknowledged that the people living in the area of the armed robberies feel unsafe and uncomfortable in their communities. 

Sophomore Eppie Hughes-Jennett believed that people should  “enforce more public awareness and education about how to prevent [armed robberies] because then it will shine light on the issue.” She explained that with more awareness, people would likely be more cautious and familiar with what to do when they are a victim in an armed robbery.