Crime & Safety

Armed Robbery at Columbia Mall Jewelry Store; Police Seeking Suspects

The suspects got away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry after a brazen afternoon robbery, according to Howard County police.

Police are searching for three men suspected in an armed robbery Wednesday afternoon at a jewelry store in The Mall in Columbia.

The men got away with "hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry," according to the Howard County Police Department.

Police were called to Edward Arthur Jewelers at about 12:47 p.m. Employees told officers that three men came inside, displayed a gun and demanded jewelry out of a case, according to a news release issued late Thursday afternoon.

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The employees gave the men the jewelry, and the suspects left the store. No one was injured in the robbery, police said.

Surveillance footage from mall cameras helped provide photos of the three suspects, which can be seen above.

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The first suspect is described as a black man who was wearing a green plaid shirt and a black Grizzlies cap with a teal brim. 

The second suspect is described as a black man who was wearing a black and gray jacket and a black Cincinnati Reds cap with a red brim.

The third suspect is described as a black man who was wearing a gray jacket and a white Chicago Bulls cap with a black brim.

Police are offering a reward of up to $5,000. Anyone with information is asked to call 410-313-STOP (7867). Callers can remain anonymous.

News of an armed robbery in the mall came out more than 24 hours later because the county police department "typically [does] not send out an immediate news release regarding robberies," said department spokeswoman Elizabeth Schroen.

"Robberies are included in the daily bulletin the following day," she said. "If the investigators request a release for a robbery to distribute suspect photos or to announce a reward, we will send out the release at their request. The timing is based on what’s appropriate for the investigation."

This story has been updated to include additional comments from the Howard County Police Department.


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