Police release surveillance photo of armed carjacker

December 03, 2004|by CANDICE BOSELY

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - Police have released a photograph of the man who robbed another man at gunpoint Wednesday and drove the man to a bank, where he used the victim's ATM card to withdraw money, Martinsburg Police Department Detective Sgt. George Swartwood said.

The photograph was taken by a surveillance camera on the bank's ATM, Swartwood said.

He would not say exactly how much money was withdrawn from the machine, but described it as a "minimal" amount.

The carjacking victim was in his car at the Dorothy A. McCormack Center, on the City Hospital campus on Dry Run Road, between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. when he was approached by the robber, who showed a semiautomatic pistol and entered the man's car, police said.

The man took the victim's wallet and forced him into the passenger seat of the car, before driving off with the victim still in the car, police said.

After going to the bank, the robber drove to Falling Waters, W.Va., where he forced the victim out of the car on St. Andrews Drive, police said.

The victim's car, a 2004 Toyota Avalon four-door sedan, was recovered at about 6:45 p.m. in the 200 block of North Maple Avenue, where police tried to trace the robber's scent with a trained dog.

Wednesday's carjacking was similar to one on Nov. 17 at about 7 p.m. in a Martinsburg hotel parking lot, police said. The description of the man in the November carjacking was similar to that of the man involved in Wednesday's incident.

Police said the robber was described as a black man about 35 years old who is 5 feet 5 inches or 5 feet 6 inches tall and has a slender build. He was wearing a blue parka or sweatshirt, dark jeans, a blue ski cap and dark boots.

In the November carjacking, a 2005 Chevrolet pickup was recovered on Nov. 22 in the 200 block of North Maple Avenue, the same block where the Toyota was found Wednesday.

Anyone who might have information about either incident may call the Martinsburg Police Department at 304-264-2100 or the anonymous Berkeley County Crime Solvers line at 304-267-4999.

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