Two robberies were reported along the busy Emmorton Road corridor in Abingdon within the past two weeks, including one that may have involved the discharge of a firearm.
A man robbed Subway restaurant, at 3434 Emmorton Road, at about 8:20 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said.
"The suspect entered the store, demanded money, fled on foot," sheriff's office spokeswoman Monica Worrell said Wednesday.
The man implied he had a weapon, she said.
When the robber fled the restaurant, the two employees who were inside, ages 17 and 16, followed him outside.
"They stated that the suspect shot at them as they made chase with him," Worrell said. "While we did not recover any [bullet] casings, other people in the area reported hearing shots fired."
The chase continued to the corner with Gabriel Brothers, at Constant Friendship Shopping Center, at which point the victims turned around and ran back to the store.
The robber is described as a black man who is 5 feet 11 inches tall with brown eyes. He was wearing a black and gray sweatshirt, black pants, a black mask and gray gloves.
Strong-arm robbery
Constant Friendship Shopping Center was also the site of a strong-arm robbery on Dec. 15, when sheriff's deputies responded to a call for an assault in the parking lot of Gabriel Brothers.
A man and woman who were shopping at the store at about 7:48 p.m. were approached by the robber while the woman was putting items into the trunk of her car, according to the police report.
The robber approached her from behind, tried to push her inside the car and ordered her not to turn around.
He then began searching through her jacket pockets and stole between $1,000 and $10,000 in cash, as well as a cell phone, according to the report.
The man, who then fled on foot, is described as a white man between 5 foot 7 inches and 5 foot 8 inches tall, weighing about 140 to 150 pounds, and wearing a black hoodie, dark colored sweatpants and black sneakers.
The incident is not believed to be linked to the robbery of the Subway restaurant, Worrell said.
"We believe it was a crime of opportunity, specifically around the holidays," Worrell said. "As always, we want to encourage people to practice personal safety at all times, limit the amount of cash they carry, be aware of their surroundings."
Both investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Southern Precinct Investigative Unit at 410-612-1717.