LEXINGTON PARK, MD. — An armed robber has been operating with impunity and holding up victims as they walked in parking lots of various businesses in Lexington Park and California. Either the Sheriff’s Department doesn’t know where these robberies took place or perhaps they simply forgot to include the information. Therefore, those persons who may have seen a suspicious person lurking in a particular parking area of a “commercial business” has no particular point of reference.
A similar sweep of robberies took place in the same area twice before, and in the last instance, the robber was also raping clerks in the stores. The St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department took the same inept stance in that crime spree, failing to inform the public where the robberies took place. They kept the information on the location of the stores and rape victims secret and as a result more female clerks fell victim to the rapist-robber.
Therefore, only the victims and the perpetrators, and possibly the detectives, had that information of where the crimes occurred.
Since many residents of St. Mary’s County area already avoiding shopping or dining out in the evening in the Lexington Park area, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. But if the public were given specific information, more persons might be able to avoid becoming a victim.
Since the recent “Deputy of the Year” is under investigation and on suspension, having to pick up his award while out of uniform, and last year’s Deputy of the Year has been terminated, and two Captains and a Lieutenant are or recently have been on suspension and under investigation, the public can’t have too much confidence that there are even any deputies around to watch out for the Black Bandit.
One captain, Steve Hall, was reportedly suspended due to his approval of a firearms training exercise which resulted in hot lead from automatic weapons fired by St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Deputies plowing into occupied homes in the Wildewood subdivision. The captain in charge of the detectives, Terry Black, was reportedly suspended due to his approval of the overtime theft allegedly committed by Lt. Julie Yingling, who put on for overtime while she was sitting at home. Both suspensions of the two captains were for two weeks and amounted to paid vacations and political cover for Sheriff Tim Cameron. Cameron never responds to requests for information on matters of personnel. Should he wish to comment or provide any further information on the latest Black Bandit to engage in a crime spree in Lexington Park and California, he is invited to do so.
Between 5/9/14 and 5/10/14, three armed robberies occurred in the parking lot of commercial businesses, (hotels and restaurants), in the Lexington Park and California area. During the robberies, the suspect approached the victims, produced a handgun and demanded valuables. The suspect is described as a black male, early to mid-30’s, approximately 5’10”- 6’00”, medium build, dark complexion, thin style beard, wearing a black in color jacket. Anyone with information regarding these robberies or can identify the suspect is asked to contact Detective Corporal Michael Boyer of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division at 301-475-4200 x 9120 or call CRIME SOLVERS at 301-475-3333, (callers can remain anonymous). Callers may also text a tip to “TIP239″ plus your message to ‘”CRIMES” (274637). Callers may be eligible for a REWARD of up to $1,000.