Police arrest suspects in Bethesda pizzeria robbery spree

Montgomery County police have arrested two men in connection with a recent string of pizzeria robberies in Bethesda and Glenmont. Terrance Barfield, 22, and Jaylen Cunningham, 18, both of Washington, D.C., were arrested in a traffic stop in Chevy Chase shortly after they allegedly robbed Manny and Olga's at 8118 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda on October 8, 2025. Detectives say they have determined Barfield and Cunningham were also the robbers of Domino's Pizza at 4817 St. Elmo Avenue on September 23, of Pizza Hut at 12335 Georgia Avenue in Glenmont on September 28, and of Papa John's at 7200 47th Street in Bethesda on October 1.

Barfield and Cunningham were transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where they were charged with armed robbery, motor vehicle theft, and related offenses. Both are being held without bond. Their mug shots have not been released to the public.

Armed robbery at Bethesda restaurant

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at a restaurant in Bethesda Wednesday night, October 8, 2025. The robbery was reported at a restaurant in the 8100 block of Woodmont Avenue at 10:30 PM Wednesday. A firearm was the weapon utilized in the robbery. This is at least the third downtown Bethesda restaurant to be held up since September 23.

Armed robbery at Bethesda restaurant

An armed robbery was reported to Montgomery County police at a restaurant in downtown Bethesda Wednesday night, October 1, 2025. The robbery was reported in the 7200 block of 47th Street at 9:55 PM. Papa John's is the only restaurant on that block. The pizzeria is open until midnight on Wednesdays.

Armed robbery at Home Depot in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at Home Depot at 7111 Westlake Terrace at the Home Depot Square shopping center in Bethesda on the morning of August 22, 2025. Two suspects entered the store sometime after 8:40 AM that morning. One of them displayed an unspecified weapon, and the two escaped with merchandise from the store.

Police describe the suspects only as a Black male in his 40s, and a Black female in her 20s. If you can identify either suspect, or have any other information regarding this case, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Armed robbery at Target in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Target store at 6831 Wisconsin Avenue, at The Shops of Wisconsin Avenue, on August 16, 2025. Police allege the suspect entered the store and stole merchandise while displaying an unspecified weapon at 5:05 PM. Marcus Shell, 41, of Bethesda was arrested. His mugshot has not been released as of this writing.

Shell has been charged with felony armed robbery, felony 1st-degree assault, 2nd-degree assault, felony 2nd-degree assault of a law enforcement officer/fire EMS personnel, possession of a dangerous weapon with the intent to injure, and theft. He is being held without bond at the County jail. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in the case for September 12, 2025 in District Court in Rockville.

Suspects arrested in three robberies at Geste Beer & Wine in Bethesda

Montgomery County police have confirmed rumors that they had arrested two suspects in the repeated robberies of Geste Beer & Wine at 4801 Edgemoor Lane in downtown Bethesda last week. Detectives say they have determined that the two unnamed juveniles, age 14 and 15, were the robbers who held up the store on July 8, 9, and 10, 2025. They employed - or implied - possession of a firearm in the first two robberies, and reportedly escaped each time via the adjacent Bethesda Metro station's Red Line subway.

The suspects may have returned repeatedly because they not only faced no resistance or rapid police response, but also because the store only keeps a small amount of cash on hand each day. After the store was hit two days in a row, police were ready on Day 3. Officers with the 2nd District Central Business District Team were patrolling the area outside the store at 2:35 PM on July 10, when they noticed two juveniles who matched the descriptions of the robbers entering Geste Beer & Wine.

When the juveniles once again declared a robbery at the checkout counter, police ran into the store and arrested them. Both juveniles have been charged with one count of robbery, and two counts of armed robbery. They are being held at an unidentified "youth facility."

Bethesda beer & wine store robbed on 3 consecutive days

Robbers have struck Geste Beer & Wine at 4801 Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda three days in a row this week. Yesterday, July 10, 2025, at 2:39 PM, Montgomery County police responded to a call regarding a strong-arm robbery at the store. The previous night, July 9, the robbers were armed when they threatened the cashier to obtain cash from the register. They were also armed the day before that, as I reported yesterday. 

The store has been targeted by robbers repeatedly since last year. At the time, the owner asked the County to increase police patrols in the area. That's a challenge, as the County Council has defunded and repeatedly verbally undermined the police, with 194 officers leaving the force since 2020, and 179 officer positions sitting vacant, according to a 2024 County Council staff memo.

Armed robbery at store in downtown Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at a downtown Bethesda store Tuesday afternoon, July 8, 2025. The robbery was reported at a store in the 4800 block of Edgemoor Lane at 4:47 PM. Police did not identify the business, but Geste Beer & Wine is located on that block. The store has been a target of gun-wielding robbers several times in the past.

Armed robbery in Bethesda residential neighborhood

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in a residential area of Bethesda Tuesday afternoon, February 18, 2025. The robbery was reported in the 9900 block of Broad Street at 2:00 PM Tuesday. That is in the Alta Vista Gardens neighborhood. No further information is available at this time.

2 robberies in 24 hours at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police were busy at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda as the last week in January began. Officers responded to two robberies in 24 hours at the popular retail center at 7101 Democracy Boulevard. A strong-arm robbery was reported at the mall on Sunday, January 26, at 6:30 PM. Less than 24 hours later, on Monday, January 27, a second robbery was called in at 12:40 PM. A business at the mall was the victim in that robbery. The tenant has not yet been identified. An unspecified weapon was implied or employed in the second robbery, but it was not a gun.

Montgomery Mall had nearly made it to the end of the first month of 2025 without a violent crime taking place there. Eleven assaults were reported at the mall in 2024, up from five in 2023. The last assault was on November 12, 2024. A new leadership team was brought into the mall by parent company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield ten days later. The peak holiday shopping period from Black Friday through Christmas then passed uneventfully, in terms of crime. Only the typical shoplifting calls expected at any mall during the holiday season were reported during that time. January had likewise been violent-crime-free, until this past Sunday.

Armed carjacking in broad daylight in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed carjacking in downtown Bethesda Sunday afternoon, January 12, 2025. The carjacking was reported in a parking lot in the 4700 block of Miller Avenue at 4:40 PM Sunday. @CordellTraffic on Twitter reported that the vehicle stolen was a Chevrolet Camaro. @MoCoMag on Twitter reported that the Black male suspect was wielding an Uzi and wearing a ski mask, and that the Camaro stolen was black.

Police have not released any further description of the suspect, or the model year of the Camaro, as of this writing. If you can identify the suspect, or have any other information about this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Armed robbery on Bethesda Avenue

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery on Bethesda Avenue on the evening of August 11, 2024. The robbery was reported in the 4900 block of Bethesda Avenue at 9:37 PM. Police say three suspects ganged up on, and assaulted, the adult male victim. They fled with property belonging to the victim.

Police describe the suspects only as three Black males in their early 20s. If you have any information about this incident, or can identify any of the three suspects, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Armed robbery in downtown Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in downtown Bethesda Sunday night, August 11, 2024. The robbery was reported in the 4900 block of Bethesda Avenue at 9:37 PM. A firearm was the weapon employed in the robbery.

Armed robbery at Shell gas station in Bethesda

Montgomery County police are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating a suspect in the July 30, 2024 armed robbery of the Shell gas station at 10211 Westlake Drive in Bethesda. Sometime after 11:00 PM that night, the suspect entered the gas station's convenience store and went into the restroom. Around 11:33 PM, he approached the cashier at the store's checkout counter, and displayed a knife. He proceeded to grab unspecified merchandise from behind the counter, and stuffed it into his backpack before fleeing the scene.

Police describe the suspect as a Black male, approximately 26-years-old, 5'6" in height, with a medium build and goatee. He was wearing a black/camouflage cap, black t-shirt, black pants, and black tennis shoes, and carrying a black/camouflage backpack.

Anyone with information regarding this suspect is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Armed robbery in North Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in North Bethesda Wednesday night, July 17, 2024. The robbery was reported in the 12500 block of Village Square Terrace at 9:50 PM Wednesday. @DCNewsLive on Twitter reported that a vehicle was later pulled over by police on Old Georgetown Road at the interchange with I-495 in Bethesda. At least one person in that vehicle was detained in relation to the armed robbery.

Armed robbery at Potomac mansion

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in Potomac early Sunday morning, June 23, 2024. The robbery was reported in the driveway of a home in the 9100 block of Persimmon Tree Road at 2:26 AM Sunday. That is a two-lane residential road lined with mansions near the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm country club.

Suspect arrested in Geste Beer & Wine armed robberies in Bethesda

Montgomery County police have arrested a suspect in four downtown Bethesda armed robberies, including the two robberies of Geste Beer & Wine at 4801 Edgemoor Lane last week. Nytrell Tyshawn Parrish, 16, of no fixed address, was arrested Saturday. Police allege he was the gunman who robbed the store on May 13 and 14, 2024, and also robbed Tobacco Hub at 7814 Old Georgetown Road twice on May 12. Parrish has been charged with four counts of armed robbery, four counts of firearm used in a violent crime, and "other related charges." 

Parrish's charges do not appear in Maryland court records, and no mugshot has been released. The suspect is a minor, but his identity has been made public by police, and he has been charged as an adult. Parrish is being held without bond.

Police release suspect photos in Geste Beer & Wine robberies in Bethesda

Montgomery County police detectives now concur with the owner of Geste Beer & Wine at 4801 Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda that the two armed robberies of the store this week were committed by the same suspect. They have now released two surveillance camera images of the suspect, and descriptions of the clothes he was wearing at the time of the two robberies, May 13, 2024 at 7:21 PM, and May 14 at 6:26 PM. He displayed a handgun during both incidents.

Alas, the images are quite blurry, and the suspect - described as a Black male in his late teens - is well-disguised. Police describe his attire on May 13 as including a black jacket with floral patterns on the back, light colored jeans and black shoes. The next evening, he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark distressed jeans with rips, black boots and a black face mask.

Anyone with information regarding this suspect or this crime is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org, and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page, or call 1-866-411-8477. Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Armed robbery at Geste Beer & Wine in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at Geste Beer & Wine at 4801 Edgemoor Lane early Tuesday evening. The robbery was reported at the store at 6:32 PM Tuesday. A reader reported having seen at least 10 police cruisers arriving at the store, which is right by the Bethesda Metro station, about 9 minutes after the store owner reported the robbery. That fits what owner Ajay Aggarwal told Fox 5 yesterday. Another reader tweeted video of the scene about 50 minutes after the robbery.

Fox 5 reported that the store had been robbed at gunpoint only one night earlier. Aggarwal said police "made me close the shop" earlier than the usual midnight closing time. He complied, but said he cannot afford to do that every night, and wished there were more police on patrol in downtown Bethesda. Montgomery County has lost 194 police officers in the last 5 years, there are 179 sworn officer vacancies, and police priority response time has increased "more than 17%" since 2019, a County Council staff member reported in March.

Despite that and the ample evidence of crime all around us, the Council has not taken any substantive action on public safety. The record of no results speaks for itself. It will be interesting to see how much longer business owners can take this, before they take concerted action to elect leaders who will actually address the crime plaguing Montgomery County.

Armed robbery reported at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda late Monday afternoon. The robbery was reported at the mall at 5:04 PM Monday. A knife was the weapon employed in the robbery.