Police: Downtown Bethesda Attempted Robberies Likely Related

Two attempted robberies in downtown Bethesda during the weekend of Nov. 30 - Dec. 2 are likely related, according to a Montgomery County police recent crime summary.

In each case, a group of men assaulted and attempted to rob a male victim during nighttime or early morning hours, Montgomery County Police second district commander Capt. David Falcinelli told Patch this month.

In one case, the assailants were wearing ski masks, according to the summary.

Neither of the victims reported the incident to police, Falcinelli said.

The first incident occurred around 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, Falcinelli said. An employee of a business on Bethesda Lane had just finished his night shift and was walking to the Metro along Woodmont Avenue when three men grabbed him and threw him to the ground, Falcinelli said.

The men attempted to steal his laptop, but the victim fought back and all three suspects fled, Falcinelli said.

Police describe the suspects as between 25 and 29 years old, between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet tall.

In a separate incident, a man was leaving Tommy Joe's restaurant on Montgomery Lane around 1 a.m. Sunday when he was accosted on Hampden Lane by a group of five men who demanded money, Falcinelli said.

A fight ensued and the suspects fled without stealing property.

The victim was injured in the attack, Falcinelli wrote in a crime update.

Falcinelli said police learned of the first incident through a community listserv. When police went to the Bethesda Lane business to investigate Monday, they were approached by a citizen who told them about the second incident.

“Here we are following up on something we heard on a listserv, and totally unrelated, a man tells us about another incident,” Falcinelli said.

Falcinelli encouraged all residents to report crimes to police as soon as possible.