Drone aids police in tracking teen allegedly involved in Gaithersburg armed robbery

15-year-old assaulted juvenile victim, stole shoes, police say

January 15, 2025 6:46 p.m.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged with armed robbery and assault in Gaithersburg after Montgomery County police utilized a drone to respond to the alleged incident on Friday, police said Wednesday in a statement.

Around 3:37 p.m. Friday, officers responded to the 800 block of West Side Drive for the report of an armed robbery. The location is near the Festival at Muddy Branch shopping center.

When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke with a juvenile victim who suffered minor injuries after a suspect approached him with a knife, assaulted him and stole his shoes, the statement said.

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Police declined to share details about what type or brand of shoes the victim wore.

According to the department’s drone dashboard, the drone, called Raven 3, was deployed to the area and located the suspect walking through the woods with the shoes in his hands. Police set up a perimeter and “walked patrol onto [the] location.” Officers took the suspect into custody and recovered the shoes.

The teen suspect was charged with robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. After his arrest, the suspect was released to his guardian, police said.

The drone was deployed under the county police department’s Drone as First Responder program. Under the program, police deploy a drone after a 911 call if the dispatcher and drone pilot believe it would be useful to use one to respond. Once the drone arrives on scene, the police officer remotely piloting the aircraft can assess whether a threat is credible, if more emergency responders are needed, and other details that could help expedite an emergency response, according to police.

The program operates in Silver Spring, Wheaton and Gaithersburg, and is also expected to expand to the Bethesda area.

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