Police Say Thieves Stealing Cars, Purses from Women at Area Gas Stations

Fourteen auto and property thefts have been reported since late June, including six at Bethesda and Chevy Chase gas stations

October 14, 2014 9:00 a.m.

Police say thieves are stealing customers’ property and cars from gas stations while victims talk on their cell phones or pay for gas.

Montgomery County police have documented 14 thefts at county gas stations, all occurring in a similar fashion, since June 23. All but one of the victims has been female.

Police say the thieves wait until a person is outside of the car and either talking on a cellphone, paying for gas or otherwise distracted, before they jump in the car, take items and leave before a victim notices. In three cases, the thieves have stolen the car.

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Police say all of the gas stations are located in close proximity to the Washington, D.C., line.

Five gas stations have been hit in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, including a Shell on Westlake Drive where thieves struck on two different days, according to police. The other targeted gas stations are in Silver Spring.

Based on the dates of incidents provided by police, it appears the thieves started with gas stations in Silver Spring in June and picked up the pace in August, striking mostly at the 7-11 on Georgia Avenue,  where five incidents were reported. They then moved west in September and hit several gas stations in Bethesda and Chevy Chase. Police have not reported any similar incidents in October.

Police are warning drivers to lock their vehicles when they’re unattended and to keep valuables out of sight. Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call the police auto theft line at 240-773-6370.

Here are the stations that have been targeted:

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Bethesda:

  • Shell – 10211 Westlake Dr. – purse stolen around 12:30 p.m. Aug. 24
  • Sunoco – 8240 Wisconsin Ave. – vehicle stolen around 10:45 a.m. on Sept. 20
  • Exxon – 10201 Westlake Dr. – purse stolen around 11:20 a.m. Sept. 21
  • Shell – 10211 Westlake Dr. (second time targeted) – wallet, phone and laptop computer stolen around 6 a.m. Sept. 26

Chevy Chase:

  • Liberty Gas – 8550 Connecticut Ave. – vehicle stolen around 12:30 p.m. Sept. 27
  • Giant Gas – 8500 Connecticut Ave. – purse and iPad stolen around 12:40 p.m. Sept. 27

Silver Spring gas stations:

  • 7-11 – 7980 Georgia Ave. – vehicle stolen around 8 a.m. June 23
  • 7-11 – 7980 Georgia Ave. – purse stolen around 12:05 p.m. Aug. 10
  • Exxon – 10206 New Hampshire Ave. – stolen purse and phone around 6:44 a.m.  Aug. 11
  • 7-11 – 7980 Georgia Ave. – purse stolen around 6:45 a.m. Aug. 22
  • 7-11 – 7980 Georgia Ave. – attempted stolen vehicle around 1:30 p.m. Aug. 30
  • Exxon – 8384 Colesville Road – purse and phone stolen around noon Aug. 30
  • 7-11 – 7980 Georgia Ave. – purse and phone stolen around 7:20 a.m. Sept. 4

Gulf – 8600 Colesville Road – purse, phone, laptop and iPad stolen around 7:25 a.m. Sept. 26

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