PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (Oct. 2, 2014)—The Calvert County Sheriff's Office released the following incident and arrest reports.
Calvert County Crime Solvers' Case of the Week
Crime Solvers and the sheriff's office are seeking the public's assistance in identifying the person(s) responsible for theft and damage to six vehicles parked outside a business on Investment Court in Owings on September 23 between 3:30 and 4:30 in the morning. The suspect(s) broke windows and door handles to gain access to the inside of the vehicles to steal radios, batteries, cables and instrument clusters. The total amount of damage and theft is $1,850.
Citizens with information on this crime or any criminal activity in Calvert County who wish to report it anonymously can now access the Calvert County Crime Solvers link at http://www.CalvertCountySheriff.us or by calling 410-535-2880. If the information leads to an arrest and conviction, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.
Dunkirk CVS Robbery
On Sept. 22 at 1:36 pm, the Calvert Control Center received a 911 call stating the CVS Pharmacy at 10095 Ward Rd. in Dunkirk was robbed. The center quickly obtained suspect information and relayed to responding units. The suspect was described as a white male, white long sleeved shirt, jeans, with black ski mask, black gloves with a knife. Suspect jumped the pharmacy counter and approached the pharmacist with a knife backing her towards the medication shelves. The suspect demanded, “Give me the Zanax or I will kill you.” One of the pharmacists that was on duty obtained a bottle of Alprazolam .5mg at 500 count and gave it to the suspect. The suspect then jumped back over the counter and fled the store.
The suspect is described as a white male wearing white long sleeved shirt, dark jeans, white Nike shoes, black ski mask and gloves with a black and purple ball cap and displayed a 8 to 10 inch silver bladed knife.
A citizen who wishes to remain anonymous witnessed what took place. The citizen then followed the suspect out of the store and saw the same male subject get into the passenger side of a 4 door Lexus passenger car and flee the area. The vehicle traveled down Ward Road, and the citizen got into his vehicle and followed the suspect. The citizen was giving the direction of travel to the Calvert Control Center, and that information was relayed to responding deputies and troopers. The units responding were able to shut down the intersection of Brickhouse Rd. and Ward Rd., causing the suspect to turn around and flee back towards Rt. 4 from Ward Rd. The suspect ended up turning down Owensville Ct. and fled to the rear of the cul-de-sac to 1915 Owensville Ct. in Dunkirk to a home under construction. The suspect then fled the area into the woods to the rear of the home being built.
Units from the Sheriff’s Office and K-9 Unit quickly made it to the area. F/Sgt. Brent Parrott took command of the scene and coordinated units who set up a perimeter in the area. Sheriff Evans has had Special Operation Team members in the Dunkirk area for an extended period of time. This was an ongoing effort by Sheriff Evans to quickly apprehend criminals.
Steel fled on foot due to the fact that he saw Special Operation Team members blocking the road and he had no other option other than to attempt to flee on foot. The K-9 Unit was able to start a track on the suspect into the woods heading towards Dunbarden Dr., which is on the other side of the woods and an adjoining street. A subject was seen by the units on the perimeter and he matched the description of the suspect we were looking for. The subject was detained and identified as Richard Kinnear Steel, DOB 4-15-94.
This subject was run through the Calvert Control Center, and units were advised that this was the subject in question. The vehicle that was left abandoned on the construction site was a black, 4 door Lexus bearing MD registration 97151CE. This vehicle was also listed to Michelle Doreen Steel of 950 Warner Drive in Huntingtown. Steel was placed into custody, and during a pat down search for weapons, the stolen Alprazolam was located on his person. Steel was also wearing the same style clothing that was seen on the suspect in the video in CVS committing the robbery. This information was relayed to F/Sgt. Fridman who arrived at the location and took custody of Steel.
Steel was placed in F/Sgt. Fridman’s patrol vehicle and read an advice of rights. Steel knowingly and willingly waived his rights at that time (1516 hrs). Steel was transported to the Sheriff’s Office by F/Sgt. Fridman. Once at the Sheriff’s Office Steel signed an advice of rights form at 1603 hours and signed a right to presentment form at 1603 hours. Steel again waived his rights and provided a recorded statement confessing to robbing the CVS Pharmacy in Dunkirk. During the interview, Steel advised that he had no weapon during this robbery. Police obtained the surveilance video from the CVS. The witnesses on scene clearly described a knife being displayed, and the video clearly shows the suspect in possession of a knife. Police attempted to speak to Steel and ask him some additional questions at which time he advised he was not answering any other questions without a lawyer. Steel was then transported to the Calvert County Detention Center to await the District Court Commissioner at 1900 hours. Steel was charged with Robbery *2 0705*, Assault- first degree *1 1420* and Theft *1 0621*.
Prince Frederick Good Day Market Robbery
On Sunday, August 3 at 3:43 p.m., an employee at the Good Day Market located in Prince Frederick advised the Calvert Control Center that the store had been robbed. Preliminary investigation revealed that a white male with a beard, in his 20's to early 30's with a large frame of 6' to 6'-4" and weighing 210 to 250 pounds entered the store. This subject approached the counter and asked for cigarettes. While the sole employee was ringing up the item, the man handed her a note telling her to give him all the money. The clerk complied and the suspect then left the store. A witness in the parking lot advised police that he saw the suspect get into a small vehicle on the passenger side and leave the scene. No one was injured during the robbery.
Follow-up investigation by Det. H. Rich of the Calvert Investigative Bureau revealed two possible suspects in this case; the suspect who entered the store and the suspect driver of the vehicle. Det. Rich was subsequently able to request the issuance of arrest warrants for Thomas Brian Smith, Jr., 34, of Prince Frederick, driver of the vehicle, and Ronald Franklin Brown, Jr., 33, of Leonardtown. Both men were arrested on September 21. Smith has been charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, second degree assault, conspiracy to commit second degree assault, use of a firearm during a violent crime, conspiracy to use a firearm during a violent crime and handgun in vehicle. Brown has been charged with the same first six offenses as Smith, but is also charged with handgun on person, theft $1,000 to under $10,000 and conspiracy to commit theft $1,000 to under $10,000.
Anyone with additional information regarding this crime is asked to contact Det. H. Rich at 410-535-1600 extension 2765.