Armed robbery in Bethesda

An armed robbery was reported to Montgomery County police yesterday morning around 10:52 AM in the Westbard area of Bethesda. According to crime data, a business in the 5100 block of Ridgefield Road was robbed, and a gun was employed in the robbery. The Westwood Center II mall is the only commercial property on that block of Ridgefield.

The specific business held up has not yet been identified. There was a significant police response to the scene, but police radio communications are no longer accessible to the public in Montgomery County, and the department has not made any public statement about the incident as of this morning.

Armed robberies are quite rare in the Westbard area. It will be interesting to see what the impact of a long-term "stay at home" restriction is on crime countywide, now and in the coming weeks.