From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
On Saturday, November 6, 2010 at approximately 9:20pm, Harford County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies responded to a 911 call regarding an armed robbery in progress at the Game Stop Store located at the Festival at Bel Air – 5 Bel Air South Parkway, Bel Air MD.
As the store was closing for the evening, the suspects, armed with black semi automatic handguns, entered the store stealing cash from the register, several X-Box game systems and portable game systems. In addition, they stole an assortment of new release video games, including the video game, “Call of Duty–Black Ops”, which is not scheduled for release for sale until November 9, 2010.
While the robbery was in progress, two customers approached the front door of the store. They were originally told by one of the robbers that the store was closed, but one of the suspects then let the customers in to the store, ushering them at gunpoint into the store’s back storage area. Neither employees nor customers were physically injured during the robbery.
Detectives believe that there are at least two suspects involved in this armed robbery and may be the same individuals who committed the armed robbery of the Game Stop in Aberdeen on October 21, 2010.
Suspects’ descriptions:
Suspect # 1 is described as a black male with shoulder length brown, black dreadlocks. Height – approximately 5’8” tall Weight – approximately 160 lbs with shoulder He was wearing a red do rag style head covering, a green and brown leather jacket, blue jeans and black biker glasses and black boots
Suspect # 2 is described as bald black male. Height – Approximately 6’0” tall. Weight – approximately 180 lbs. He was wearing a NC blue baseball cap, dark blue jeans and a lighter blue hoodie with holes through out it.
At this time it is believed, that a late model white mini van – possibly a Dodge Caravan, was used as the suspects getaway car.
If anyone has information regarding this crime are encouraged to contact Harford County Sheriff’s Office Detective Phil Golden at 410-836-5430.
Anyone with information regarding the crime wishing to remain anonymous may report their information through the following methods listed below. Qualifying tips that lead to a conviction may be eligible for up to $2,000.00 in rewards.
Website/Email: Submit a tip online at http://www.harfordsheriff.org/wanted
Text message: Metro Crime Stoppers: Text “CRIMES” (274637)
Begin the message “MCS,” then add the information.
Phone: Harford Crime Solvers: Call 1-888-540-8477
Again, it is HIGH time that this state and AG Gansler give up on defense of the indefensible; discriminatory issue of handgun carry permits.
Crime will only continue to trend up as our state and nation face high inflation, continued job losses, and more desperate people who, unlike in the 1920s, believe that crime does pay as a profession instead of sucking it up and working to earn their living.
In the 1920’s I believe there where lots of people who proved crime does in fact pay. Joseph Kennedy, James Roosevelt, Arnold Rothstine, Enoch Johnson, Alfonse Capone; to name a few!
You missed my point…there certainly were people that thought crime paid back then, but the perpetual state of hand outs and entitlement society wasn’t nearly to the level of today’s society.
Thus, while there are crime spikes during every economic down trend, the last great generation had more honor than today’s society will ever dream to have.
Any connection between this robbery and the one of the GameStop in Aberdeen?
Oops, just went back and read that it might be…
Hopefully they wont try to rob the one at the mall because that might not end like this one and the one at Aberdeen did
Are the mall cops going to stop them? Paul Blart… we have a armed robbery at the Game Stop… Cut scene – here comes Paul Blart on his Segway to save the day!
I meant somebody might get hurt because of the amount of people in the mall
Wheres Patton is right on the money. This misconception that if gun permits were issued in MD then there would be shootouts in the streets is nothing more than fear mongering. North of us in PA, all you have to do to get a carry permit is apply at the post office. PA is a must issue state (as long as you are not a felon) and I don’t recall hearing of shootouts or mayhem in any of the states where permits are issued. The only people walking around Maryland armed are the criminals. If the criminals don’t know who is armed and who is not, all of us are safer…..more guns…less crime
Ok, so let’s assume the GameStop employees were packing heat…legal heat. The robbers walk in, brandish their weapons and as the employees reach for their legal heat, are subsequently blown away by the robbers for making such a foolish move.
Yeah, that would have been great….gimme a break.
I’m not sure how your scenario is any different from if there were plain clothed Police working in there? Bottom line is people are less likely to inflict harm on others if that other person might be carrying a firearm. There is nothing wrong with a properly trained civilian who is adequately equipped with a firearm to carry one, it’s worked out great for Texas and Pennsylvania. Maryland’s laws and views on this are a little outrageous.
The requirements to obtain a Handgun Carry Permit in this state are ridiculous. Whats even more ridiculous is that once you are granted the permit you arent required to even show proficiency using the gun. There is no yearly qualifying to show your ability to shoot, no standards to keep up, nothing. Police officer’s have to meet firearms shooting qualifications at least once a year to be able to carry their guns on and off duty, even retired officers. Not Joe Schmoe who just got his Carry Permit from the Maryland State Police. All he has to do is show documentation of threats, and assaults, or that he is forced to carry large sums of money late at night for employment purposes, or that he is a corrections officer, special police officer, or private detective. Not once do you ever have to show that you have any knowledge of a gun or how to operate it or that you can actually hit what you aim at with it.
So yes I support more people with guns, as long as they are trained. Right now Maryland is wrong all the way around. I would rather someone who has knowledge of guns and shooting proficiency,and has never been in an altercation ever, to carry a gun that someone who has been assaulted, and threatened with no idea how to work a gun, running around town scared with a hand cannon in their pocket. MORE TRAINED PEOPLE WITH GUNS.
Ted,
I would rather have the choice rather than be standing there with no option whatsoever other than to die if these guys decide to eliminate the witnesses.
Nobody knows the circumstances as to whether it would have been a good idea for anyone in that store to protect themselves if they were armed, but law abiding citizens having the option to be armed is not a bad thing.
You personally may not like guns and I am not admonishing you for not wanting to own one…but if the criminals know that nobody is allowed to carry a weapon, then you and I are at a significant disadvantage. If a laws exist to allow us to carry, both of us are safer, the citizen who does carry and the one who does not carry because the criminal does not know if who has a weapon….
Do you know what is funny? The application for carrying a conceled weapon in Maryland says you can be issued a permit if you are protecting property but if you want to protect your person, there must be documented police reports of prior robberies, threats, etc….so you can’t protect yourself until and unless you have been previously victimized…..You give me a break!
Glad I pre-ordered my game elsewhere. COD news is national considering it’s the best grossing game last year.
I don’t think they would’ve robbed a store if they thought the store was packing heat. The bottom line is a robber is trying to enrich themselves, but not at serious risk to their lives. So they’d target the easiest folks who they know arent packing heat.
What store employee is going to be packing heat? Have you been to the game stop? There are teenagers in there working.
Most chains like Gamestop actually forbid their employees to be armed at work (regardless of whether or not they can legally CCW) and will fire you if they find out you’re armed while on the job.
Most chains also have strict policies against resisting anyone trying to rob them (and in some cases even trying to shoplift beyond telling them to stop…which is ridiculous.) Just look at those Best Buy “security” guys (I put “security” quotes because of Best Buy, not because of what the employees did) who tackled and took into custody some dirtbag trying to shoplift a TV or something. Best Buy promptly fired both of them for violating store policy even though they stopped the crime, captured the dirtbag (without injuring him), recovered the stolen merchandise undamaged, and restrained him until the police arrived.
I am not suggesting we arm teenagers in the stores but if I am one of the customers who was hauled to the back room not knowing if I would be shot and killed, it would be nice to have a plan B. As long as we are prohibited from protecting ourselves, we will continue to be victims. It is no coincidence where we see other states allow its citizens to carry concealed weapons, crime has not increased but decreased.
You’re preaching to the choir here. I have no problem with citizens being armed legally and I think MD’s laws regarding CCW permits are way too restrictive and completely ass backwards.
They should allow anyone with a clean record (or at least no felonies and/or drug convictions), who can pass a psych exam and does not have a history of mental illness, takes a firearms safety course, and can show that they are qualified to handle a firearm (and have to re-qualify yearly.)
Just remember that these crimes have nothing to do with law enforcement. Bane said that these are social issues and need to be dealt with in the churches, holding hands, eating chicken, and singing. That didn’t work for Bane’s Top Cop Forwood but to their credit they have been singing to him and holding his hand since March.
What motivates an individual to commit a crime is a social issue. Catching the person that commits the crime is a law enforcement issue. Completing a proper and thorough investigation of the crime is a law enforcement issue as well, and directly effects the ability of the judiciary to secure a conviction. The sentence the individual receives after conviction is a judicial issue.
The securing of the conviction is not a judicial function. The State’s Attorney’s office is part of the Executive Branch of governmet, just as Law Enforcement is. A State’s Attorney, while not a LEO, is just as much a part of Law Enforcement. They actually have tremendously more power than a LEO in the sense that they could choose to prosecute or not prosecute.
I stand corrected.
Regardless of whose function it is… law enforcement will apprehend, states attorney will accept plea bargain down to 3rd degree naughtiness from the dirtbag lawyer that knows they’re guilty and the impotent judge will dump them back out on the street for law enforcement to pick up again. A perverted circle of life… and to hell with today’s and tomorrow’s victims.
I heard a rumor that the election was last week.
A.J. Thong, what kind of comment is this. Oh, I know, another anti-Bane remark. Get a new song. This one is flat.
Couldn’t at all be related to these guys?
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0310/714886.html
Makes sense for the criminals, they can get a lot more money for the games than the $200 they get robbing a 7-11. Game Stop may be the most robbed place around the nation.
The games are already for sale on craigslist, for below retail.
Harford County Sheriff Deputy response time was 30 SECONDS after the call was sent out by dispatcher!!!!
He arrived ON SCENE in 30 seconds! Let the deputy carry the gun – not untrained gun owner.
Tenile,
You are obviously under the misconception that the police are there to protect us and to stop the crime like on TV. The fact of the matter is the police are there to draw a white line around the body and then to try to figure out who committed the crime. 30 seconds to get to the scene? It takes one second to pull a trigger. I will opt to be armed and protect myself and my family oppose to wait for the police to show up.
By the way, why do you assume gun owners are untrained?
30 seconds is a pretty good response time, but the call probably wasn’t made until after it was over.
Yes, 30 seconds afteer the call, but how long after the announcement to the employees that a robbery was taking place?
Right… all we need to do is figure out how to make the call for help 30 seconds BEFORE the crime takes place… In my book, anyone who walks in, points a gun and says “gimme the money” forfeits their rights to the next breath. I’d like to see more rabid, wild animals like these put down permanently. Most anti-gun folk have never been victims.
PROgun – Peaceful, Responsible Ownership.
After reading this story glad that we’re online only…..oh, spoke too soon. Customers have our return address…Guess we’d better start packing heat for an all out war….Call of Duty style. A few proximity mines won’t hurt either.
There is a lot of police officers, who do not spend any more time then required at a shooting range. and that often is the only training they get.
A paper target is normally setting still. a human target is much harder to hit.
No Video? No Parking Lot Video showing vehicle or tag? Seriously? Unreal. Just check the local flea markets or ebay…they are being sold as we speak….or type…
Photos and video of the suspects now available: http://www.daggerpress.com/2010/11/10/harford-county-sheriffs-office-releases-photos-of-suspects-in-armed-robbery-of-bel-air-gamestop/