Man Charged with Robbing East County Businesses with Rifle

William Thompson | MCPD

A 23-year-old Silver Spring man faces armed robbery and firearms charges in connection with a pair of robberies last week in the East County, a Montgomery County police statement said.

William T. Thompson, 23, of the 600 block of Pebble Beach Drive, is being held without bail, according to online court records.

Here’s what police say happened:

About midnight Friday at the 7-Eleven at 15539 New Hampshire Ave., Cloverly, a man entered the store with his face concealed and armed with a rifle. The man threatened an employee and demanded cash. The man took the cash and fled in a dark-colored sedan.

About 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hollywood Beer & Wine store at 12703 New Hampshire Ave., Colesville, a man entered the business with his face concealed and armed with a rifle. The man threatened an employee and demanded cash.  Again, the man took the cash and fled in a blue sedan.

About 6:40 p.m. Saturday, Wheaton police district officers responded to the 15300 block of Hannans Way in the Norbeck area for the report of a blue sedan that had struck a mailbox; the driver then fled. A resident who saw the wreck called 911 after finding the occupied sedan disabled on the side of Carrolton Road, police said.

Officers identified Thompson as the driver of the vehicle and immediately detected an odor of marijuana coming from Thompson and from inside the car, police said. While searching Thompson, officers found an empty handgun holster on his belt and currency in his pants pocket, police said. While searching the car, officers found a loaded handgun, a loaded rifle, a black ski mask and gloves.

Investigators reviewed surveillance video from both robberies and determined that Thompson matched the description provided by witnesses and that the rifle matched the description of the weapon used in both crimes, police said.

Thompson was arrested. Among his charges are two counts of armed robbery, a felony with a 20-year maximum sentence each. Online court records also say he was charged with two counts of attempting to use a firearm in a violent crime and another county of having a firearm in an automobile.

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