Washington, DC, Man Charged With Burglarizing Two Montgomery Mall Businesses

Montgomery County Police have arrested a Washington, DC, man they say confessed to burglarizing two businesses at the Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Delonte Ernesto Smith, 23, of the 5200 block of Chillum Place in Northeast Washington, was arrested Sept. 14 at a bus stop near the mall after Westfield security contacted police.

Officers responded to Dumpling Dojo, a recently opened food vendor in the mall's food court, around 11:30 a.m. Sept. 10. The owner had arrived at work and discovered cash missing from the office area, according to a police report.

The owner told police that surveillance footage showed a man wearing a skull cap and a backpack going over the counter and entering the office area.

Another business at the mall, Brow Art 23, also was burglarized, according to police. A portion of the security pull-down gate had been cut out and cash was stolen from a register inside.

On Sept. 14, mall security noticed a man matching the description of the suspect in the surveillance video and contacted police.

Police say Smith confessed to the two burglaries as he was being interviewed by detectives. He was charged with several burglary and theft-related charges and is being held on a $7,500 bond.