Police Make Arrest in Ellicott City Robbery

Howard County police arrested an Aberdeen man in connection with the robbery of an Ellicott City store, according to police. Authorities said they are also investigating the suspect's connection to additional store robberies committed over the weekend.

Among the string of three weekend robberies, one was on Montgomery Road in Ellicott City and two occurred on Old Waterloo Road in Elkridge, police said.

“The three robberies over the weekend had similarities in method of robbery, as well as a similar suspect description, all within a close geographic area and time frame,” said Elizabeth Schroen, spokeswoman for the Howard County Police Department.

At 1:48 a.m. on Feb. 18, a man approached the clerk at the Elkridge CVS with a gun and stole cash and cigarettes, police said.

Approximately 20 hours later, a store down the street was robbed in similar fashion, according to police. At 9:57 p.m., a man held up the 7-Eleven in the Lark Brown Shopping Center and left with cash and cigarettes.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, the Ellicott City 7-Eleven on Montgomery Road was robbed at gunpoint, police reported.

“There was a single suspect in the stores in all three robberies," said Schroen. 

On Tuesday at about 2:30 a.m., a police officer on routine patrol stopped 34-year-old Theodore Bratton Heath on Broken Land Parkway in Columbia, Schroen said.

Police said Heath was driving a Ford Explorer with revoked North Carolina tags and with a suspended license. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Officers noted Heath’s appearance, clothing and vehicle matched the description of the robbery at 7-[Eleven],” Schroen wrote in an email.

“Based on evidence at the scene and investigation, he has been charged in the 7-[Eleven] robbery, and the investigation continues into his possible involvement in other cases.”