1Suspect assaults employee during shoplifting attempt at Columbia JCPenney as vehicle thefts spike across Howard County

Columbia, MD – A suspected shoplifter assaulted a store employee at the JCPenney in The Mall in Columbia Tuesday evening after being confronted while attempting to leave with stolen merchandise, according to the Howard County Police Department’s daily crime bulletin.

The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on October 28 in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway. Police say the male suspect fled the scene after the assault. No injuries were reported, and the suspect has not been identified as of Wednesday.

In addition to the attempted robbery, multiple vehicle-related crimes were reported across Howard County overnight, including thefts from vehicles, stolen license pl

See Full Page