Howard County police are looking for two men suspected in the armed robberies of a hotel in Jessup and a gasoline station in Scaggsville within an hour Wednesday night.
No one was injured in either robbery.
Descriptions of the robbers in each incident made officers suspect that the crimes were related, said Sgt. Steve Keller, a police spokesman.
In the first robbery, two armed men wearing stocking masks entered the lobby of the Red Roof Inn in the 8000 block of Route 1 and demanded money. Hotel employees turned over $295 in cash, police said.
The robbers took the cash, ripped out counter telephones and fled, police said.
About 55 minutes later, police said, two armed men of the same descriptions entered a Texaco gasoline station, showed weapons to several employees and customers and demanded money. The men tore phones from the desk and wall, took money and fled.
L Both robbers were described as black men in their early 20s.
One was said to stand 5 feet 10 inches tall, weigh 150 to 160 pounds and to have been wearing a dark-colored flannel jacket and light-colored blue jeans. Police said he carried a semiautomatic handgun.
The other was shorter than his partner and wore dark pants and a dark jacket. He reportedly carried a revolver, police said.
In each robbery, each bandit wore a dark stocking cap and a blue bandanna, police said.
Anyone with information should call Howard County police at 313-2220.
POLICE LOG
* Savage: 6300 block of Virginia Pine Place: A Jeep Wrangler was reported stolen yesterday, police said.