Dunkirk, MD – On Monday, Sept. 22 at 1:36 p.m., the Calvert Control Center received a 911 call stating the CVS Pharmacy on Ward Road in Dunkirk was robbed.

The Calvert Control Center quickly obtained suspect information, and relayed to responding units. The Calvert Control Center advised that the suspect was a white male, white long sleeved shirt, jeans, with black ski mask, black gloves with a knife.

The suspect jumped the pharmacy counter and approached the pharmacist with a knife backing her towards the medication shelves.

The suspect demanded, “Give me the Zanax or I will kill you”. One of the pharmacists who was on duty obtained a bottle of Alprazolam .5mg at 500 count and gave it to the suspect.

The suspect then jumped back over the counter and fled the store.

A citizen who wishes to remain anonymous witnessed what took place. That citizen then followed the suspect out of the store and saw him get into the passenger side of a four-door Lexus passenger car and flee the area.

The vehicle traveled down Ward Road, and the citizen got into his vehicle and followed the suspect.

The citizen was giving the direction of travel to the Calvert Control Center and that information was relayed to responding deputies and troopers.

The units responding were able to shut down the intersection of Brickhouse Road and Ward Road, prompting the suspect to turn around and flee back towards Route 4 from Ward Road.

The suspect ended up turning down Owensville Court and fled to the rear of the cul-de-sac to 1915 Owensville Court Dunkirk to a home under construction.

The suspect then fled the area into the woods to the rear of the home being built.

Units from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 Unit quickly made it to the area and F/Sgt. Brent Parrott took command of the scene and coordinated the units, who set up a perimeter in the area.

Steel fled on foot due to the fact that he saw Special Operation Team members blocking the road and he had no other option other than to attempt to flee on foot. 

The K-9 Unit was able to start a track on the suspect into the woods heading towards Dunbarden Drive, which is on the other side of the woods and an adjoining street.

An individual was seen by the units on the perimeter and he matched the description of the suspect being sought.

The suspect was detained and identified as Richard Kinnear Steel, 20. The suspect’s information was run through the Calvert Control Center, and units were advised that this was the suspect units were seeking.

The vehicle that was left abandoned on the construction site was a black four-door Lexus bearing MD registration 97151CE. This vehicle was also listed to Michelle Doreen Steel of Warner Drive Huntingtown. Steel was placed into custody, and during a pat down search for weapons the stolen Alprazolam was located on his person. 

Steel was also wearing the same style clothing that was seen on the suspect in the video in CVS committing the robbery. 

This information was relayed to F/Sgt. Timothy Fridman who arrived at the location and took custody of Steel.

Steel was placed in F/Sgt. Fridman’s patrol vehicle and read an Advice of Rights. Steel knowingly and willingly waived his rights at that time.

Steel was transported to the sheriff’s office by Fridman. Once there, Steel signed an Advice of Rights form at 4:03 p.m. and also signed a Right to Presentment form.

Steel again waived his rights and provided a recorded statement confessing to robbing the CVS Pharmacy in Dunkirk.

During the interview Steel advised that he had no weapon during this robbery. The video was obtained from the CVS.

The witnesses on scene clearly described a knife being displayed, and also the video clearly shows the suspect in possession of a knife.

Steel was asked some additional questions by Captain Steve Jones. Steel then advised he was not answering any other questions without a lawyer. 

Steel was then transported to the Calvert County Detention Center to await the District Court Commissioner.

Steel was charged with robbery, first-degree assault and theft.