Sep 3, 2008 6:47 pm US/Eastern
Robber Abducts Employee & Leads Police On Chase
WOODLAWN, Md. (WJZ) ―
Violence unfolds at a busy shopping area in Baltimore County after an armed man threatens an employee at a pharmacy, then takes him on a wild ride.
Police are searching for a dangerous, armed man who they say stormed into a Rite Aid early Wednesday morning just off Security Boulevard and abducted one of the workers inside.
Mike Hellgren has new details on the sweeping effort to take the man into custody.
Baltimore County Police are working to capture an armed man who led them on a chase along the Beltway. He was on the run after a brazen robbery at a Rite Aid pharmacy. Authorities tell
WJZ only the Rite Aid employee and a manager were in the store when the suspect stormed inside, threatening them with a handgun. He abducted the employee and stole his car.
"When something like this happens--and I've been here four years and I've never heard of anything like this--of course you become super sensitive to it," said Ben Womack who works next door.
Bill Toohey with Baltimore County Police says the suspect forced the Rite Aid employee out of his car just before police caught up to him.
"As far as I know, there were no physical injuries, although it must have been pretty traumatic for him to be in the car, being kidnapped by a man with a gun," Toohey said.
Immediately, investigators mounted an intense search to find the armed man.
"It was still dark. He went into a wooded area. The officer went into the woods, called for backup--aviation was called, the helicopter and K9--but the suspect got away," Toohey said.
The shopping center includes a health clinic and several restaurants and banks. It borders Rolling Road and was packed just hours after the terrifying incident.
"All we know was what was seen. No accomplice was seen. He took somebody else's car and he did the driving," Toohey said.
Just weeks earlier, another bold crime hit this area just around the corner when two armed robbers rushed inside a Wendy's during the lunchtime rush demanding money and shooting one of the employees.
Police are also investigating whether there were any other similar crimes.
"Any robbery is unusual and detectives always look to see if there's a pattern, so they will be looking into that," Toohey said.
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