Beltsville Man Arrested in Connection with Wheaton Bank Robbery

Montgomery County Police have arrested and charged a suspect for committing seven in the area between October 14, 2010 and September 2, 2011, including the

Samuel Lewis, age 44 of Beltsville, MD was arrested by Montgomery County Police on September 16 and charged with seven counts of armed robbery and seven counts of using a fire arm in the commission of a felony. Lewis is believed to have been involved in an additional six robberies.

According to Montgomery County Police officer Rebecca Innocenti, Lewis was taken into custody without incident.

As of September 19, Lewis has been charged with the following robberies:

• Oct. 14, 2010, M&T Bank, 11161 New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak, approximately 2:33 p.m.
• Oct. 30, 2010 – Wachovia Bank, 16810 Georgia Avenue, Olney, approximately 10:21 a.m.
• Nov. 16, 2010 – M&T Bank, 11161 New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak, approximately 11:16 a.m.

Police continue to investigate Lewis’ possible involvement in six other recent bank robberies:

• July 2, 2010, Sovereign Bank, 17920 Georgia Avenue, Olney, approximately 12:27 p.m.
• Sept. 1, 2010, Sovereign Bank, 17920 Georgia Avenue, Olney, approximately 3:10 p.m.
• Dec. 14, 2010, BB&T Bank, 2947 S. Glebe Road, Arlington, approximately 2:15 p.m.
• Dec. 20, 2010, Bank of America, 600 North Washington Street, Alexandria, approximately 2:45 p.m.
• Dec. 27, 2010, PNC Bank, 1700 Diagonal Road, Alexandria, approximately 2:15 p.m.
• Aug. 4, 2011, SunTrust Bank, 603 W. Broad Street, Falls Church, Virginia, approximately 10:06 a.m.

Lewis is currently being held on $1 million bond. His bond review hearing will take place Monday at 1 p.m. in Rockville District Court.

The Montgomery County Police received an anonymous tip that led to Lewis’s arrest. Police urge the anonymous tipster to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477 and provide the unique identifying number they were given to receive information about how to obtain the reward of up to $2,500.