Despite three recent crimes involving attackers wearing red bandanas in downtown Towson, Baltimore County police say they don?t have a gang problem in the county?s crown jewel.
“Not everybody who wears a Ravens jacket is a Raven,” said Baltimore County police spokesman Bill Toohey. “Not everybody who wears a red bandana is a Blood.”
The first two crimes were armed robberies on Nov. 24.
At 8:30 p.m. at the corner of Washington and Pennsylvania avenues, two men approached their victims from behind as they returned from an ATM — and one suspect placed a handgun the victim?s head and removed his wallet. One of the two suspects wore a red bandana over his face.
Later that night, at 10:19 p.m. at the corner of Dulaney Valley and Joppa roads, two men wearing red bandanas asked a victim for money, then began to assault him. They fled in an unknown direction.
“They are being investigated, but there?s no reason to believe they?re gang-related,” Toohey said.
Another robbery occurred on Dec. 8 in the 100 block of E. Joppa Road, where 10 males wearing red bandanas around their faces jumped a victim and stole his wallet and tennis shoes.
Toohey said this assault had nothing to do with gangs.
“Two guys had a disagreement in school. One guy brought nine of his buddies and seriously outnumbered the victim,” he said. “There?s no indication there?s organized gang activity in Towson.”
In a recent interview with The Examiner, Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson said his officers have identified between 350 and 400 gang members in Baltimore County. Last month, Baltimore County prosecutors earned convictions of four men they said carried out a murder for the Bloods gang in Essex.
