Matthew Santoni, The Examiner
2008-04-25 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

BALTIMORE -

An off-duty Harford County sheriff’s deputy was mugged near his home in Riverside Tuesday evening, and police say they are close to catching two suspects.

The deputy, whose name is not being released to avoid revealing where he lives, was walking along a bike trail near the 1300 block of Riverside Parkway around 6:30 p.m. when he was punched and choked by two black males who demanded his wallet, keys and cell phone, said Monica Worrell, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman.

The one-year veteran, assigned to the Harford County Detention Center, was out of uniform and unarmed, but the attackers caught sight of his badge when he handed over his wallet, police said.

 Seeing that he was an officer, the attackers fled, Worrell said.

His wallet and all of its contents were recovered farther down the path near a fence, she said.

Worrell said the deputy’s description will help investigators find the suspects, who police said may be linked to at least two other robberies  between Riverside Parkway and Church Creek Road.

“They’re trained to have keen observation skills; to identify suspects, and that training has helped us to develop some persons of interest,” she said.

Both men were described as 6 feet tall and weighing between 170 and 190 pounds. One suspect wore a black T-shirt; the other had a yellow one.

Worrell urged members of the public to follow the sheriff’s office’s crime prevention tips to avoid situations like the one the officer found himself in. Pedestrians are advised to remain alert and aware of their surroundings; to avoid doorways and shrubbery; not to take shortcuts through vacant lots; and not to walk alone whenever possible.

“People should know, ‘If they’re going to go after a deputy, what can I do to be safe?’ ” Worrell said.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com