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.

Physical media DVDs, CDs vanish at Target

DVDs and CDs have vanished at local Target stores, like this one at Westfield's Wheaton Plaza mall. Gone are shelves of movies, TV shows, and music CDs. In their place are just books and vinyl records. Many of the latter are Target-exclusive editions. A few CDs remain available, primarily by Taylor Swift and K-pop artists. The flop of Joker 2 continues to resonate, as Lady Gaga's companion album to that box office bomb is now on clearance. Remember: whatever you buy, you only own it forever if it's on physical media.

Assault at Target in North Bethesda

Montgomery County police were called to the Target store at 5700 Bou Avenue on Sunday afternoon, March 24, 2024, after a 2nd-degree assault was reported there. The assault was reported at the store at 2:44 PM Sunday. At least one person was also accused of shoplifting in the incident.

Target limits self-checkout to 10 items or less

Target is the latest retailer to address the shoplifting epidemic by making life more difficult for its law-abiding customers. The big box chain is now introducing a new limit of 10 items for self-checkout. Giant supermarkets recently limited their self-checkout machines to 20 items or less. Amusingly, Target is telling media outlets that it has implemented the new policy to speed up lines at the self-checkout machines, rather than to stem the loss of merchandise. At least Giant was honest, in stating that "a significant increase in crime" was the reason for its new limit on items at self-checkout.

Rising crime forces many items under lock and key at Tenleytown Target (Photos)

The toll of rising crime over the last two-and-a-half years continues to have a visible impact here and nationwide. Shoplifting and spree thefts are exacting such a cost that The Wall Street Journal editorial board last week referred to the resulting impact on prices as a "shoplifting tax." Not only do customers pick up the tab for the losses, but stores are changing policies and tactics, as prosecutors increasingly take a light touch toward such crimes. Exhibit A is the relatively-new Target store in Tenleytown.

Many consumer packaged goods (CPG) are now in locked display cases. This was not the "case" when the store opened. Shampoo, body wash, and Tide pods are among the commonly-purchased items that now require "team member assistance" to buy. Video games are now in theft-deterrent cases, as well. While the cases may deter thieves, much like security guards in grocery stores and Neighborhood Watch signs, the psychological impression is made that one is not in a safe location.

Bethesda Target limits purchases of toilet paper, flushable wipes as panic buying resumes

Panic buying is beginning to make a comeback in the neverending pandemic, as the Delta variant continues to drive up coronavirus cases worldwide. It's nothing like it was in the spring and summer of 2020, but paper goods aisles at stores like Target and Giant are beginning to look emptier in recent weeks. Now the Bethesda Target store has placed a purchase limit on toilet paper and flushable wipes. Target guests may buy only one of each per visit, according to a sign in the aisle.

The Bethesda Target is also experiencing continued shortages of less-essential items, such as electronics, due to the microchip shortage. Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, and the Apple Watch SE were all out of stock yesterday.

Target now rationing coronavirus items

Target has begun rationing items high in demand by customers during the coronavirus outbreak. Products like disinfecting wipes, paper goods and bottled water have been flying off shelves nationwide since Americans began coming down with the covid-19 virus. The announcement was buried within a longer statement regarding new cleaning procedures for stores, and other strategies the big box retailer is implementing to reduce the spread of the virus.

Other retailers have also begun rationing supplies they say consumers are hoarding, including Wegmans and Kroger. But Target's biggest rival, Walmart, has yet to announce it will ration goods.

Target CEO Brian Cornell wrote that stores are adding paid hours to allow employees to clean surfaces and equipment like check-outs more frequently. Touchscreens and check-out surfaces will be cleaned every 30 minutes, Cornell promised. They have temporarily suspended food sampling in stores, and are staffing up to meet greater demand for curbside pick-up. Target is also reducing all non-essential corporate and employee travel.

Bethesda Target restocking for coronavirus (Photos)

Montgomery County announced again yesterday that there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus here so far, but that hasn't deterred people from panic buying bottled water, every kind of hand wipe or Lysol-style disinfecting cloth, rubbing alcohol, and tissues and toilet paper. The current U.S. death toll is 11. On the positive news front, Target in downtown Bethesda is restocking some of these hoarded goods.

On Wednesday night, there were ample supplies of water from many major brands, including Deer Park and the awards-show-photobombing FIJI. Target also had a fresh stock of their own up&up house brand of disinfecting wipes.

Tenleytown Target opens to huge crowds (Photos)

Customers are lining up in droves at the new Tenleytown Target store, which opened at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and River Road N.W. in Washington. The store has a CVS Pharmacy, and is well-stocked for Christmas and holiday shopping. As I've mentioned before, this store is larger than the downtown Bethesda Target, but smaller than the Rockville store.

Tenleytown Target opening date set (Video+Photos)

The new Tenleytown Target store is being stocked with merchandise in Northwest Washington at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and River Road N.W. Target has set the opening date for the Tenleytown store for November 10, 2019, ahead of schedule. Shopping carts are already in place. They are still hiring ahead of the opening of the store, which is larger than the one in Bethesda, so you'll be able to save the gas you would spend driving to the big Targets elsewhere in the county.