Trooper Foils Robbery

(Abingdon, Maryland Dec. 13, 2008) - Early this morning, troopers from the Bel Air Barrack apprehended two suspects involved in an armed robbery of a convenience store in Harford County.

The suspects are identified as Charles E. Brown, 20, of Hatfield Court in Abingdon, Maryland and Damion T. Cook, 22, of the unit block of East Lake Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland.

At about 1:00 a.m. this morning, a state trooper from the Bel Air barrack, on routine patrol, observed a man standing alone outside the front door of a 7-11 convenience store on Philadelphia Road in Abingdon, Maryland. Recognizing the suspicious behavior, the trooper quickly relocated his marked patrol vehicle to a concealed location in order to conduct surveillance on the establishment. He also began calling for more assistance to respond in case the store was being robbed.

While waiting for police assistance, two suspects ran out of the store carrying an undisclosed amount of currency and property. The trooper on the scene quickly managed to single-handedly apprehend one of the suspects.

The second suspect attempted to flee, but was apprehended within a perimeter which had been quickly established by a team of law enforcement personnel from the Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack, Maryland State Police Aviation, Maryland State Police K-9, and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. One of the suspects was in possession of a pellet rifle which was located in his waistband at the time of apprehension.

Both suspects are at the Bel Air Barrack awaiting transport to the Harford County Detention Center. A third suspect is believed to have been assisting the robbers in a “look-out” capacity at a business parking-lot across the street from the convenient store.