A 27-year-old man has been detained by Montgomery County Police after allegedly stealing over $16,000 in merchandise from a Wheaton Mall store during the last few months.
According to investigators, Carlos Alejandro Ayala, who has no known location, entered the mall on June 24 and allegedly stole a substantial amount of products before fleeing. Officers from the 4th District Central Business District Team, who were conducting proactive foot patrols within the mall, saw Ayala leaving with a backpack containing the stolen items and pursued him to the 11200 block of Grandview Avenue, where he was apprehended.
According to police, Ayala dropped the backpack during the pursuit, but officers found and returned all of the stolen products to the store. Detectives also discovered that Ayala had reportedly stolen over $16,000 in products from the same store since February 2026, as well as two outstanding felony warrants for theft under $25,000 each. He was charged with theft, obstruction and impeding, and other charges and is being held without bond.
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