COLUMBIA, Md. — Howard County (Md.) police are on the lookout for two men who tied up two employees and robbed the ZIPS Dry Cleaners here.
Two employees were cleaning up after closing on the night of Nov. 9 when one of them went out the rear door to take trash to the Dumpster, according to police. As the employee returned, a masked gunman confronted him.
The employee was led to the office, where a second masked gunman was detaining the second employee.
The armed men tied up the employees using zip-ties, then took both employees’ wallets and two cash boxes from the office. One of the victim’s wallets was later recovered by a citizen a few miles away.
Suspect No. 1 is described as a black male, 5-10 to 6 feet, heavy build, wearing a black ski mask (dreadlocks showing) and a bright orange jacket. Suspect No. 2 is described as a black male, 5-4 to 5-6, thin build, wearing a black ski mask and black jacket.
The Columbia Patch interviewed one of the victims, evening manager Kevin Kim. He told the newspaper that ZIPS had added more security and instituted new policies to improve safety following the incident.
Police are investigating whether this robbery was connected to another incident during which a Taco Bell manager was critically wounded two days earlier at a restaurant less than two miles away. There were two masked suspects in that crime but the victims were unable to provide detailed descriptions.
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