On May 20, detectives from the Gaithersburg Police Investigative Section arrested 23-year-old Lamont Alvin White of Fort Washington, Md., in connection with a burglary at the Lowe’s store located at 40 Market Street on May 20. White was charged with second-degree burglary and additional related charges.
Second-degree burglary in Maryland is defined as the breaking and entering of another person’s storehouse with the intent to commit theft or a crime of violence. At the point the defendant enters the building, the facts must show that the defendant intended to either steal something or commit an additional crime of violence. Second-degree burglary also includes breaking and entering with the intent to commit arson or the intent to steal a firearm. This offense is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison.
According to a press release from the Gaithersburg Police Department, on May 20 at 2:24 a.m., officers from the Gaithersburg and Montgomery County police departments were dispatched to Lowe’s to respond to an alarm. Upon arriving, the doors were found to be secured, but as officers and a representative from Lowe’s entered the business, a suspect was heard inside the office. A perimeter was established and a search of the interior was conducted with negative results. The perimeter was maintained and the alarms were reactivated, causing officers to believe that the suspect was still inside.
Due to the size of the business, a request was made for additional resources, such as K-9, SWAT and a helicopter, closing off access to the shopping center during the early morning hours of May 20. The suspect was not found during the secondary search.
White was developed as a suspect during the investigation, according to the press release. At 1:56 p.m., police observed White on Kentlands Boulevard and placed him under arrest without incident.