Police Beat

Crownsville

Home invaded

A man claiming to be a Maryland State Police trooper broke into a Crownsville home Thursday and robbed an elderly resident at gunpoint, county police said.

At 5:50 a.m., the resident, a 72-year-old-man, awoke to a "bang" at his home in the 700 block of Old Herald Harbor Road, when the man who broke in and announced that he was a trooper. Police said he ordered the resident to the ground and when the resident didn't immediately comply, threatened to shoot him.

The robber then helped the resident off the floor and demanded money, police said. After grabbing cash from the resident, the robber ordered him to his bedroom and ran.

The resident was not injured.

West County

Burglary charge

County police charged Ricardo Hernandez, 22, of an unknown address, with burglary Saturday morning after they said he was caught hiding in a bedroom closet of a Crofton apartment.

The resident told officers that, at about 4:50 a.m., he noticed in the foyer some food and shoes that did not belong to him. After searching the home, the resident said he found a man in a bedroom closet.

The resident ran out of his apartment and called police. The intruder was out of the apartment by the time police arrived. However, police said the resident showed the direction the intruder ran. Police found Mr. Hernandez a short distance away and charged him with burglary.

North County

Attempted robbery

A convenience store clerk fought off an armed robber in Brooklyn Park Tuesday morning, county police said.

The employee told officers that at about 10:30 a.m. a man with a gun walked into the 7-Eleven store in the 4000 block of Ritchie Highway and ordered him to open the cash register.

The clerk refused and the two struggled, police said. The robber ran out of the store empty-handed and was last seen running north on Ritchie Highway toward Baltimore.

Officers with police dogs searched the area, but could not find him.

He is described as black, from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, and was last seen wearing a black hat, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and white shoes.

Man robbed, injured

A man was robbed while walking outside a Hanover hotel and restaurant Saturday morning, county police said.

At about 3:25 a.m. the man was walking to his car in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express and Denny's restaurant in the 7400 block of Ridge Road, when a group of men approached him. One of the men struck him and rummaged through his car trunk, removing several items.

Police said the injured man ran to get help, and the items from his trunk were later found in a grassy area near the vehicle.

Officers searched the area, but could not find his attacker.

Robbery arrests

Five men were charged with armed robbery Friday after allegedly holding a knife to two men and demanding their money at a Linthicum motel, county police said.

At just after 10 p.m., the men were at the Motel 6 in the 5100 block of Raynor Avenue when the group of men held them at knifepoint and stole their cash.

An investigation led officers to one of the rooms at the Motel 6, where five men were arrested.

Ryan David Matthews, 21; Rashawn Lamonte Sherwood, 22; Lamar Dayshawn Butler, 19; Demond Antoine White, 21, and a boy, 17, were each charged with armed robbery, robbery and false imprisonment. Information about their residences was not available

Mr. Matthews was also charged with possession of marijuana.