Montgomery County police released Thursday surveillance video showing a woman attempting to rob a Kensington 7-Eleven at gunpoint shortly before 3:45 a.m. Oct. 9.
Police are hoping the public can help identify the woman, who also is a suspect in an Oct. 8 attempted armed robbery.
The one-minute video shows a woman wearing a red dress, white sneakers and what appears to be a green camouflage hat entering the 7-Eleven at 3507 University Blvd. West. The woman then walks immediately over to the checkout counter and takes a handgun out of a clear, plastic bag that she is carrying. She then points the gun at the store clerk who is standing behind the checkout counter, announces the robbery and demands cash, according to a police press release.
A second clerk who is much taller than the woman approaches her from behind and grabs the gun away from her. The woman is then seen trying to get the gun back from the clerk, and the two get into a scuffle. Holding the gun with one hand, the clerk tries to prevent the woman from fleeing the store with his other hand while the checkout counter clerk calls 911.
The suspect left the store before the police arrived, but without any cash or property. Detectives recovered the gun, which turned out to be a replica handgun, at the scene.
Based on the description of the suspect, detectives believe the same woman tried to rob a taxi driver at gun point around 4 a.m. Oct. 8 in the 4000 block of Sampson Road in the Veirs Mill Village area.
Police are asking anyone with information about the alleged suspect or crimes to contact the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5100. Crime Solver of Montgomery County is also offering a $10,000 cash reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.