Baltimore police said Wednesday that the serial robber they have called their first "Most Wanted" suspect has robbed about 30 businesses since October.
Police have formed a regional task force with the FBI and Baltimore County police to find the suspect, and the agencies continue to ask for public assistance in identifying him. The robber has held up businesses all around Baltimore and Baltimore County since October, some repeatedly.
Metro Crime Stoppers has offered a $2,000 reward, and this week the FBI added another $10,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Investigators describe the suspect as a 5-foot-9, 230-pound black man in his mid 30s who often wears a blue hoodie and khaki pants. Police say he strikes at both day and night, weilding a small handgun, and that he targets convenience stores, coffee shops and gas stations.
"Somebody who knows this guy is going to recognize his picture and we hope they're going to give us a call," Baltimore police Capt. Eric Kowalczyk said.
The suspect has not injured anyone but police worry that the odds of an interaction with a clerk or customer will soon turn violent because of the frequency with which he strikes.
"When you look at what this individual is doing now going into an estimated 30 places where people are just trying to make a living and then he goes in again and again and again — it's by the grace of God no one has been injured," Kowalczyk said.
Baltimore police on Tuesday designated the suspect as their first "Most Wanted" fugitive. The program targets criminals who "rise above the average crime." While police already have a "Public Enemy No. 1" designation that they have used to find fugitives they consider especially violent, the "Most Wanted" program targets people committing less violent acts but threaten the safety or well being of groups.
The criteria for the designation is "the impact that a single individual has on a community and the quality of life being impacted by this person," Kowalczyk said. "Clearly the business community is impacted by this person."
Rape suspects, prolific vandals, serial burglars are just a few examples of the types of suspects police plan to single out as "Most Wanted."
"We're going to use that same methodology and construct of evaluating open cases, and when we get (the serial robber) into custody we're going to put out another person," Kowalczyk said.
Tips on the serial robber can be phoned into Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP, by texting "MCS" and the tip to 274637 or on the web at metrocrimestoppers.org.
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