One neighbor heard someone yelling for help. Another looked outside and saw an assault in progress.
But none of the people on the 7100 block of Bristol Road in Towson thought to call police as two men beat and attempted to rob a 71-year-old man, Baltimore County police said.
Thomas Allen, of Towson, was out for a walk Wednesday at 11:14 p.m. when a suspect approached him and asked for money.
“The suspect then grabbed Mr. Allen?s walking cane and began to beat him with the cane,” said Baltimore County police Cpl. Mike Hill. “During that assault, a second suspect grabbed a trash can and knocked him to the ground.”
Allen?s glasses were broken during the beating, but the attempted robbers were unsuccessful in actually stealing anything from him, Hill said.
Allen called police after returning home and was treated at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. Police later interviewed residents who said they heard a commotion but didn?t alert police.
“These were nice people in a nice neighborhood who were concerned, but they didn?t call the police,” said Karl Pfrommer, spokesman for the Towson area Citizens on Patrol. “They heard something, but they didn?t say anything. Maybe we?ve become complacent as a culture?”
The suspects are described as black males between 18- and 25-years-old and standing about 5 feet 7 inches with stocky builds. They drove a red four-door sedan and are still at large.
“We’re always pleading for the community any time they hear or see something suspicious to please contact us,” Hill said. “We wish in this instance someone who saw or heard something would have called.”
Any information about the crime can be reported to detectives at 410-887-5508.
