Laurel 18-Year-Old Charged in Wheaton Deli Armed Robbery

Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to indicate that Wheaton Deli is not a deli as its name would suggest. It is, in fact, a convenience store that sells beer and wine.

Montgomery County police caught up with an 18-year-old from Laurel less than 10 minutes after he was suspected of robbing a Wheaton convenience store at gunpoint Friday afternoon.

Damien West, of the 9400 block of Rosemarin Way in Laurel, is charged with armed robbery, the use of a handgun in the commission of a felony, possession of a handgun, and theft of $1,000 to under $10,000.

West walked into Wheaton Deli at 11413 Georgia Avenue on Feb. 8, showed a handgun to the 47-year-old female employee and demanded money, police said in a statement. After the employee gave the suspect money from the cash register, police said, West ordered her to lie on the floor before he fled the scene.

A police officer located West in the area of Georgia Avenue and Arcola Avenue shortly after 1 p.m.--less than 10 minutes after police had responded to the scene of the crime.

The officer matched West's appearance with a description given by the deli employee, and a handgun was later found in West's jacket.