A group of carjackers in Maryland who attempted to rob a restaurateur, Myo Maung, outside his Bethesda Ramen restaurant had a rude awakening in their criminal exploits. Despite pistol-whipping Maung, they were unable to steal his Porsche because they couldn’t operate the manual gears.
Dashcam footage captured the incident as a red Nissan pulled up, and at least three individuals confronted Maung late on a Sunday night.
In a carjacking attempt outside the Bethesda Ramen restaurant, one assailant wearing a gray hoodie and a mask brandished a gun and was seen leading the business owner, Maung, out of the frame. Maung was then pistol-whipped and compelled to surrender his keys, phone, and passport.
The Dashcam footage revealed the carjackers’ struggle as one of them, unable to operate the stick shift, created noise inside the Porsche. Another suspect in the front passenger seat aimed a handgun at the sports car after they failed to steal it during the robbery incident, as reported by the New York Post.
Maung later informed the police that he had to seek cover in the restaurant — and heard at least one gunshot. Police did not find any shell casings at the scene in the aftermath of the carjacking attempt. There’s speculation that Maung might have been followed from Washington DC, where he had earlier dropped off supplies at another business he co-owns.
Montgomery County police are investigating reports that a red Nissan SUV, resembling the one seen in the dashcam footage, had been reported stolen in DC on the same day. Captain Sean Gagan, head of the Montgomery Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, noted that previous incidents of individuals being trailed and targeted for their vehicles are quite prevalent.
According to him, there have been approximately 82 carjackings reported in the county so far this year, surpassing the total of 79 reported in 2022. Meanwhile, in Washington DC, over the Thanksgiving weekend alone, the city experienced over 900 carjackings.
Captain Sean Gagan noted that the law enforcement agency is intensifying efforts in areas bordering Washington DC and Prince George’s County to address the rising number of carjackings.
He added that additional resources, including uniform patrol and plainclothes assets, are being deployed to these locations.
He however urged people to remain vigilant and stressed the importance of staying aware of their surroundings, as criminals often target distracted individuals, including those using their phones while driving.
