Updated Dec. 12, 3:13 p.m.–The Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney announced Thursday that the suspect arrested in connection with a string of armed robberies in Maryland and Delaware over the past two months will be released from the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center on Friday, Dec. 13 — because his innocent of the crimes.
Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Lance Richardson said Brian Daniels, 41, of Trappe, Maryland was falsely implicated in the robberies in Maryland and Delaware over the past two months by another suspect, Lytia Bailey, 27, of Chestertown, who was arrested in Dover on Dec. 3 and confessed to participating in the robberies.
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Updated Dec. 6, 10:35 a.m.–The Maryland State Police Apprehension Team, Delaware State Police, and US Marshals have captured Brian Daniels, 41, of Chestertown, for a string of seven armed robberies in Kent, Talbot, and Queen Anne’s counties — and at least five other robberies in Delaware.
“This was a well coordinated joint effort [by these agencies],” said Deputy US Marshal David Ablondi, in a brief telephone interview with the Spy on Friday. “These guys really work well together, it’s seamless the way they work.”
Daniels was apprehended at the intersection of Sandtown Road and Henderson Road in Goldsboro at 5 p.m. on Thursday and is currently being held at the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center.
On Tuesday, Dover Police arrested Daniel’s female accomplice, Lytia Bailey, 27, also of Chestertown, who is alleged to have acted as surveillance and a getaway driver for Daniels and at least one other male accomplice. The Maryland State Police have not disclosed the name of the other male.
Bailey was pulled over on North DuPont Highway in Dover when Dover Police spotted her Jeep Grand Cherokee. In Bailey’s possession was a BB gun and clothes worn in the robberies, according a complaint released by the Dover Police. Bailey’s vehicle had been placed at several of the robberies.
Robberies of Domino’s Pizza locations in Chestertown on Nov. 11 and in Easton on Nov. 27 were carried out by two men, one standing about 6’3” and slender and another standing about 5’8” to 5’10” with a medium build, said store employees in interviews with the Spy.
Two men fitting similar descriptions also robbed the Back 50 Tavern on Rt. 213 in Kingstown on Oct.26. One suspect was wearing a mask from the movie “Scream” and the other was wearing a ski mask and brandishing a gun, said Back 50 owner Freddy Araujo, Jr. in an interview with the Spy.
In the Back 50 robbery, two female accomplices were apparently used to scan the location to make sure there would be no witnesses to the robbery. The two women entered the bar to use the bathroom and left separately — five minutes apart — without paying for a soda. As soon as the last patrons left, two men entered the bar and demanded cash. A suspect standing about 6’3” was wielding a billiard stick that was cut off at the thick end — while the other held Araujo at gunpoint and emptied the register, Araujo said.
Araujo told the Spy on Thursday that Bailey was one of the two women who scanned his bar on Oct. 26. The Maryland State Police are trying to identify the second woman.
In another robbery of a third Domino’s, this time in Centreville on Nov. 25, a phony pizza order was placed and a single suspect standing at about 5’8” to 5’10” entered the premises after the driver had left. The suspect was wearing a hoody and scarf and displaying a black handgun, said the store’s shift manager, J.T. Cole in an interview with the Spy.
Bailey was also alleged to have surveyed the 7-11 in Centreville prior to a robbery there when she asked to use the bathroom, said a store employee who asked not to be identified. The robbery in Centreville followed a failed holdup of the 7-11 in Easton just a few hours earlier, where it is also alleged that Bailey scanned the store just moments before the robbery attempt. Store clerks there refused to handover any cash and a suspect fitting Daniels height and weight fled the scene.
The last robbery in Maryland took place at the Easton Domino’s the night before Thanksgiving.
Law enforcement officials in Maryland and Delaware believe there are more suspects involved.
Chronology of Robberies on Maryland’s Midshore
Oct. 26 – Back 50 in Kingstown, Nov. 6 – Domino’s Chestertown, Nov. 11 – Farm Stores Chestertown, Nov. 18 – Domino’s Centreville, Nov. 25 – 7-11 Easton, Nov. 25 – 7-11 Centreville, Nov. 28 – Domino’s Easton
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