Police Searching for Suspect in Jewelry Store Bomb Scare

A man put a box containing a note demanding money and jewelry and what turned out to be a fake bomb in front of a Maryland jewelry store.

Michelle Graff michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com

This photo tweeted out by police in Howard County, Maryland shows the front and back of the NASA Astronaut Group 16 sweatshirt worn by the suspect who placed a fake bomb in front of a Maryland jewelry store last month. (Photo courtesy of @HCPDNews)

Ellicott City, Maryland—Police in Howard County, Maryland are offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man who allegedly tried to rob a jewelry store via a bomb threat.

Police say on Oct. 1 a male suspect placed a package in front of Sergio Fine Jewelers in Ellicott City, Maryland that contained a note demanding cash and jewelry, and what was later determined to be a fake explosive device.

The suspect took no further action, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance noted, but the perceived threat forced the entire shopping center where Sergio Fine Jewelers is located to close for several hours as the bomb squad investigated.


Reward of up to $1,500 offered to help ID a suspect in an attempted robbery at Sergio's Fine Jewelers in Ellicott City. The suspect is seen on video placing a package at the door containing what was later determined to be a fake explosive device & a note demanding jewelry & cash. pic.twitter.com/uxl1dXvedc
— Howard County Police Department (@HCPDNews) November 1, 2021

Howard County police describe the suspect as a white male wearing black pants, black shoes, and a black NASA Astronaut Group 16 hooded sweatshirt; he can be seen in the above video shared by the police via social media.

His vehicle was a late-model black Mercedes-Benz sedan.

JSA President John J. Kennedy said bomb threats against jewelers are rare.

They only happen every few years and, in his nearly three decades at JSA, he doesn’t recall any real bombs being placed at jewelry stores.

But the threat still needs to be treated as a serious situation.

“If there a bomb threat, the main thing to do is evacuate and call the police,” Kennedy said. “You take it seriously. Although we haven’t seen one where [the device] blew up, you take it seriously.”

Anyone with information about the suspect in the Howard County case is asked to call the police at 410-313-7867 or email HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov, or contact JSA at 212-687-0328 or jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org.