Theft Crimes

Published on: November 11, 2024

Maryland Men Arrested for ATM Thefts

Federal law enforcement officers have arrest two more suspects in an ATM theft and robbery scheme that allegedly resulted in over $8 million in ill-gotten gains. The two suspects from Prince George’s County were brought before a federal magistrate judge and held without bond on charges of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. During the detention hearings the government alleged that both defendants were part of a group that had targeted over 75 ATM machines in the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia area since 2023. According to a detention memo filed by the government, the group allegedly used high powered tools such as gas-powered saws and Jaws of Life machines to pry open the ATMs and steal the cash. These ATM machines were primarily located in 7-Eleven stores, and the group apparently hit multiple stores in one night. The memo also laid out the common method in which the group would carry out the robberies and included using radios to communicate and splitting the responsibilities between opening the ATMs, destroying surveillance and subduing employees. Federal prosecutors emphasized that many of these robberies were carried out with firearms, and that search warrants executed on the suspect’s homes and storage units produced multiple handguns and rifles.

Numerous other defendants have been arrested and charged in this ATM theft and robbery scheme, but there have been additional reported incidents that are not related to this group. Both the Prince George’s and Montgomery County Police Departments have been on high alert for the past year or so, and PG County has a dedicated detective unit assigned to ATM thefts. A few months ago, another defendant was arrested for allegedly robbing eight 7-Elevens in Prince George’s County. This 31-year-old man from Upper Marlboro is facing a 44-count indictment in the PG County Circuit Court that is apparently not related to the federal conspiracy. He is currently held without bond at the detention center and is set for trial in April after several prior trial dates had been postponed. Since his arrest there have been additional incidents involving ATM thefts in the area. Recently a pair of suspects backed a 15-passenger van into a Montgomery County 7-Eleven and then loaded the entire cash machine in the back as they stepped over a mix of shattered glass and junk food. This incident would likely be charged as a theft and malicious destruction of property and not a robbery. If the store was occupied the defendants could conceivably be charged with reckless endangerment and even first-degree assault depending on the location of the individuals in the store. Robbery requires that the defendants assert some sort of force over another person to carry out the theft, and in most cases the penalty for robbery and armed robbery is significantly higher than theft.

The Blog will continue to follow this incident and other cases involving ATM theft in the area. We will post a follow up article if any newsworthy developments come out of the state or federal courthouses in Upper Marlboro, Rockville or Greenbelt. If you have been charged or are being investigated for robbery anywhere in Maryland contact Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation. Benjamin is a theft and robbery lawyer who has extensive experience with juvenile criminal defense and gun charges. He represents clients in state and federal court and is available 7 days per week for a free consultation. Benjamin is also available on short notice for bail reviews and detention hearings and specializes in probation violation defense in all Maryland jurisdictions.

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Published on: October 3, 2024

Maryland Man Arrested for Carjacking, Dog Theft

By Benjamin Herbst

A Montgomery County man was arrested over the weekend in North Carolina after he allegedly stole an 87-year-old Veteran’s car with his dog inside. Reports indicate that the defendant forcibly took the victim’s keys from his pocket before stealing his car and dog from the parking lot of a Pennsylvania retail store. Pennsylvania authorities charged the defendant with carjacking and theft and had been searching for him for over a week before he surfaced more than 500 miles away. North Carolina authorities received a call about a suspicious Ford Focus with Pennsylvania plates and as they encountered the suspect vehicle it become clear that the car was stolen. After attempting a traffic stop the defendant sped away, allegedly reaching speeds of more than 100 mph on Interstate 95 before crashing from police executed a PIT maneuver. The PIT maneuver is also known as tactical vehicle intervention and is an effective but controversial method for police to disable a fleeing vehicle by forcing it into a spin. Luckily there were no injuries from the high-speed chase, but North Carolina officers did allege the defendant intentionally rammed a police vehicle. As a result, the defendant was charged with assault with a deadly weapon along with felony hit and run and reckless driving. He is currently incarcerated in North Carolina and will eventually be extradited to Pennsylvania and ultimately Maryland.

It turns out that the defendant has numerous criminal contacts within Maryland and was recently incarcerated at the Montgomery County Detention Center just weeks before this multi-state crime spree that left at 87-year-old Vet without his pet and sidekick. The defendant was placed on probation in Frederick County for unauthorized removal of a motor vehicle this past March. His probation judge issued a violation of probation bench warrant in July and then he was arrested in August for theft and false statement to a law enforcement officer. Despite the VOP warrant and the new pending case he was released by a Montgomery County District Court judge on an unsecured bail. Three weeks after his release he received another criminal charge for theft but was issued a citation and never arrested. The alleged carjacking in Pennsylvania occurred just 4 days after the theft citation.

The defendant may not face a Maryland judge for months or even years as it seems his situations in North Carolina and Pennsylvania are far more serious. He will most likely miss his three court dates in Maryland and be issued failure to appear bench warrants. The warrants will serve as detainers and Maryland will be notified before he is released from any sentences served out-of-state. When he was incarcerated in Montgomery County back in August the defendant certainly had a valid argument for release on the violation of probation and the theft charge. Neither of the cases were violent in nature and the bail review judge could never have predicted the defendant would make the jump from theft to carjacking and aggravated assault in a matter of weeks. Nevertheless, these are the kind of cases that judges hate and are a large reason why so many defendants are held without bail at the district court level.

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Published on: August 14, 2024

Crab Shack Owner Charged with Crab Theft

By Benjamin Herbst

Police in Cecil County recently arrested the owner of a burned-down Elkton crab shack after he allegedly plundered other restaurants in Maryland and Delaware in a misguided attempt to get back on his feet. The defendant was arrested last week and extradited to Delaware on a warrant shortly thereafter to face theft scheme charges. He is no longer in custody in Delaware but will be due in court at some point soon. As of now there are no theft charges in Maryland, which means Delaware may end up prosecuting all the alleged thefts. Theft crimes can be prosecuted in the jurisdiction where the theft originally occurred or in a place where the defendant allegedly took the stolen goods. For example, if a defendant steals a motor vehicle in Montgomery County and is eventually pulled over in Baltimore County, he or she could face charges in either county, but not both.

The theft scheme was likely hatched after the defendant lost his crab shack to a fire back on July 8. Typically when we see a restaurant owner arrested after a fire it is due to an allegation of arson, but that does not appear to be the case here. The crab shack was a shack in the truest sense of the word as reports indicated the defendant was running a worn extension cord under the door to a chest freezer inside the kitchen. There was no electricity inside the kitchen area, so the defendant used propane tanks, which ultimately exploded when the worn cord started emitting sparks. The explosion was so violent in rocked the defendant’s landlord’s home that was located in front of the shack. Reports indicate that the landlord agreed to lease the shack to the defendant on the condition that he obtain insurance. Allegedly the defendant told his landlord he had insurance but did not, which left the landlord the foot the bill for all the damage. The plot thickened as the defendant allegedly started a fundraising page asking for money to rebuild the shack, when in reality he was not the owner.

The defendant was arrested in Cecil County on August 5, and it appears that he attempted to bring contraband into the Cecil County jail. Court records show he was he was charged with possession of contraband in a place of confinement by the Sheriff’s Department. He was issued a summons on this case and not required to post a bond. This charge requires the State to prove the defendant knowingly possessed contraband, which means he may be able to fight the case by arguing he had no knowledge. Police always search a defendant immediately after placing them under arrest, but sometimes these searches are not thorough. Deputy Sheriffs and Correctional Officers will perform a more thorough search before a defendant is booked into jail, and often these searches can yield a small item that can be considered contraband. It could be a pill or a small piece of a marijuana cigarette that the defendant had no idea was still on his or her person, and if found the detention staff will not hesitate to file charges for contraband introduction. The defendant is due in court in September for the contraband case and has another pending matter for operating a food establishment without a license scheduled for August. Both cases are set in the District Court of Maryland for Cecil County located in downtown Elkton.

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Published on: August 1, 2024

Maryland Teen Facing Five Cases Extradited from Michigan

By Benjamin Herbst

An 18-year-old Carroll County man with multiple outstanding arrest warrants was recently extradited from Michigan back to Maryland and is now being held in the Wicomico County Detention Center without bail. Additional charges have been filed since his return and now according to court records he has been charged with committing five criminal offenses in four separate counties on the same day. In Baltimore County the man is charged with multiple counts of rogue and vagabond and theft alleged to have occurred on May 30, which resulted in a Towson District Court judge issuing an arrest warrant. The alleged crime spree also ran its course on Eastern Shore where the man allegedly committed additional thefts from motor vehicles, disturbed the peace, and destroyed property. He was initially issued an arrest warrant out of Queen Anne’s County for rogue and vagabond, theft, malicious destruction of property and disorderly conduct, but now faces felony burglary and theft charges in another case with the same incident date. As he continued down Route 50 the man allegedly stopped in the Easton area to yet again commit more car burglaries resulting in a Talbot County District Court judge issuing another arrest warrant.

The apparent spree ended in Wicomico County where police allegedly located the man driving a stolen vehicle but were unable to apprehend him as he ditched his ride and fled into the woods. Shortly thereafter the suspect is accused of breaking into a nearby home and stealing a firearm and a truck. The resulting charges from his brief time in Salisbury include first degree burglary, felony theft, possession of a firearm by a minor, handgun in vehicle and motor vehicle theft. This set of charges resulted in the defendant being held without bond, while he was released on this own recognizance in the other three cases. The Wicomico case also likely played a role in the extradition process, as there is a chance he would not have been brought back to Maryland if the charges were limited to misdemeanor rogue and vagabond, theft and disorderly conduct. On the other hand, the fact that there were multiple warrants would likely have been motivation enough for someone from a Maryland law enforcement agency to make the trek to Michigan.

The story brings up a few interesting criminal law issues such as the complicated nature of extradition proceedings. All individuals who are arrested on an out of state warrant have the right to contest their detention and ultimate transfer back to the charging state, but doing so is almost certain to be a losing proposition. A defendant who contests the extradition process may end up serving additional time without receiving credit for the time served. Ultimately the only grounds that can be raised are whether there is a warrant and the defendant is actually the person who is sought. Defendants have no right to challenge the charges or even to attack the existence of probable cause. Contesting extradition is a lengthy process that only requires the state to produce a warrant signed by the governor. Hypothetically the state could fail to provide a Governor’s Warrant by the deadline (usually in the range of 90 days) and the defendant could be released but, in most cases, this is not a strategy worth exploring. This defendant had a short stay in Michigan, which means he almost certainly waived extradition upon being brought before a judge.

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Published on: February 9, 2024

Maryland Man Arrested for Assaulting Loss Prevention Officer

By Benjamin Herbst

Montgomery County Police recently arrested a 31-year-old Hyattsville man after responding to a call for an armed robbery at a Safeway in Kensington. According to police the man and an 18-year-old co-defendant attempted to steal merchandise from the store but were confronted by a loss prevention officer or LPO. The LPO apparently tried to recover the merchandise from the thieves when the older male defendant pulled out a knife. During the scuffle the LPO was cut on his chest and transported to a nearby hospital. Most large retail stores have at least one loss prevention officer always working, and some stores like Target, Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes have numerous LPOs walking the retail floor and monitoring surveillance cameras in the security office. Loss prevention officers do not have the express power to arrest or detain individuals, but they can file charging documents on behalf of the store. Typically, LPOs call the police when they observe a suspected shoplifting case, and the officer who arrives on scene issues a criminal citation or files charges with a District Court Commissioner.

The LPO in this case was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, which likely means he did not receive a deep puncture wound that is common in stabbings. Police did not provide a detailed description of the injuries though based on the facts he may have been cut in a slicing type of motion and suffered a laceration. The defendant was charged with first degree assault, second degree assault, theft and false statement to a law enforcement officer. He was initially held without bail by the commissioner but released on an unsecured bail the next day at his district court bail review. The fact that a judge released the defendant tells us that he may not have intended to stab or even cut the victim. It also likely means that the defendant does not have a history of violent crime or other criminal offenses. This case is his only case in Maryland visible to the public, which leads to the conclusion that he has no prior convictions in the state. The defendant has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 1 at the District Court in Rockville, though the State’s Attorney’s Office will make a decision about whether to file felony charges earlier than the preliminary. To prove assault in the first degree the State must prove the defendant intended to cause serious bodily injury, as the actual injures here were not life-threatening or permanent. Based on the defendant’s bail status the first-degree assault is likely a borderline proposition for the State, but we would not be surprised if they indicted him and then let it play out in circuit court.

The Blog will continue to follow this case and may post a follow up article in the future. If you or a loved one has been charged or is being investigated for an adult or juvenile crime in state or federal court, contact Maryland assault lawyer Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation. Benjamin specializes in domestic violence cases such as assault by strangulation, false imprisonment and protective order violations. He is also a skilled gun crime lawyer who handles assault with a firearm, which is considered a felony regardless of whether the gun was fired or otherwise caused actual physical harm. Simply brandishing a gun in a threatening manner can result in felony assault under Maryland law. Finally, if you have been charged with theft or theft scheme Benjamin will fight to have your charges dismissed or reduced. Typically, when there is a theft and an assault the defendant will also face robbery charges, but this case presents yet another unique set of facts in the criminal justice system.

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Published on: January 4, 2024

Former Police Employee Charged with E-Z Pass Theft

By Benjamin Herbst

Anne Arundel County Police recently charged one of their own, as a former employee of the department now faces multiple counts of theft related to misuse of a county E-Z Pass transponder. The defendant, a 58-year-old man who hails from Odenton, was not a sworn police officer, but rather a civilian employee of the fifth largest police department in Maryland. He is accused of using a county issued transponder on over 70 personal trips, which included drives to and from Delaware, Virginia and even New Jersey and began as early as 2020. The former employee drove a county vehicle for work purposes with the department, but apparently removed the transponder and affixed it to his personal vehicle for trips. The total amount of the theft was under $1,500, meaning the defendant appeared to have avoided any felony charges. He was however charged with seven counts of theft less than $100 and one count of theft scheme from $100 to $1,500. Police picked up on the suspected unlawful pass use back in September and initiated an investigation. The State’s Attorney’s Office made the decision to pursue the case after being presented with the findings from investigators.

In lieu of being arrested by his former colleagues, an officer of the Anne Arundel County Police Criminal Investigations Division requested that the defendant be summoned for court. The District Court of Maryland in Annapolis issued a summons for the defendant on January 3, and he will have to appear for trial in the coming months. Theft cases in Maryland are typically charged by summons or criminal citation provided the defendant has a verifiable address and the police or the commissioner is satisfied that he or she would appear in court as directed. Large scale felony theft cases are routinely initiated through the issuance of an arrest warrant, though we have seen felony thefts charged via summons. Additionally, larger scale thefts by county or state employees also frequently accompanied by other serious charges such as misconduct in office. Misconduct in office is a common law misdemeanor that carries a real possibility of jail time even for first time offenders. This charge has no set maximum penalty and should be handled by with the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

While the defendant in this case avoided felony theft and misconduct in office charges, he will still have to answer for his alleged public trust violations. The fact that the defendant is accused of unlawfully using the transponder dozens of times will not help his cause, though if the case is handled properly there is an excellent chance that he will avoid jail time and a permanent conviction. The top charge of theft scheme $100 to $1,500 carries a maximum penalty of 6 months in jail and a $500 fine under Maryland criminal law section 7-104. Subsequent offenders face up to 1 year in jail for this same offense provided the State issues notice to the defendant at least 15 days before trial. Based on this maximum penalty the defendant could elect to have a jury trial at the Circuit Court in downtown Annapolis, though it is too early to tell whether this would be an appropriate strategy. The seven remaining counts for theft less than $100 carry a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail. This charge is often associated with shoplifting or theft of services.

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Published on: November 1, 2023

New Maryland Expungement Law Now Effective

By Benjamin Herbst

On October 1 the Maryland Redeem Act became state law, and now thousands of individuals can file to expunge prior criminal convictions that were once considered permanent. The Redeem Act is a major breakthrough for those who have struggled to advance in the workplace, obtain professional licenses and secure loans or apartment leases. It provides an avenue for prior defendants to apply for expungement in numerous types of charges, including felony drug cases. In addition to adding more charges to the list of qualifying offenses, the law also shortens the wait time necessary to apply for expungement. The relevant portion of the Redeem Act is codified in the Criminal Procedure section 10-110 of the Maryland statutes, though the section lists the crimes by statute number and not name. It is advisable to have your charging document handy when checking to see if your prior offense qualifies, or you can consult with a Maryland criminal defense lawyer.

In this post we’ll go through some of the major changes to the expungement laws, but for a more detailed analysis about your particular situation, feel free to call Maryland expungement lawyer Benjamin Herbst anytime at 410-207-2598. The Herbst Firm handles expungements and petitions for early expungement based on good cause. It’s safe to say that the drug laws have been impacted the most by the Redeem Act, as convictions for possession with intent to distribute are handed out like candy in the courthouses across the state. Many a defendant has accepted a guilty plea to this crime to get out of jail or simply to close the case and move on with life, only to have it severely hinder personal growth in the future. If the criminal defense attorney on the case did not successfully argue for probation before judgment or if a timely motion to modify was not filed within 90 days, the conviction used to last a lifetime. Though as of October 1, there is hope for anyone with an old PWID or distribution charge, as an application to expunge may be filed 7 years after a time served disposition or 7 years after probation or parole has ended. Anyone with a marijuana distribution or PWID conviction can file for expungement 3 years after the disposition or the end of probation or parole if applicable.

Felony theft and burglary may be expunged after 10 years, but other felony charges have yet to be added to the list of crimes that are eligible. This includes motor vehicle theft, which is not one of the offenses that is currently expungable under Maryland law. Gun crimes have also not been added to the list of expungable offense. On the positive side, misdemeanor offenses such as CDS possession not marijuana, burglary in the 4^th degree, malicious destruction of property, disorderly conduct, prostitution, obstructing and hindering and various others are expungable after 5 years of the conclusion of the case or the end of probation/parole. Prior convictions for domestically related crimes such as second degree assault and violation of a protective order are not eligible for 15 years. If assault in the second degree or protective order violation convictions were not marked as domestically related, they would be eligible after 7 years for assault and 5 years for violation of a protective order.

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Published on: October 19, 2023

Three PG County Men Arrested in Organized Theft Ring

By Benjamin Herbst

Three young men were recently arrested by Prince George’s County police officers following a traffic stop of an SUV that had been flagged by law enforcement for criminal involvement. The driver of the SUV was arrested on the scene, while the two others were arrested shortly thereafter. After arresting the driver, police sought and received a warrant to search his District Heights apartment. During the search police of the apartment and an additional home, police found a trove of stolen merchandise totaling over $10,000. The merchandise linked the defendant and his co-defendants to as many as 10 different thefts that occurred from September 13 to October 1. Police apparently discovered that the group was offering the merchandise for sale online and through personal referrals. This theft bust puts just a tiny dent in what has become a shoplifting epidemic over the last couple of years. The situation in the Washington D.C. metro area has become so dire that some stores are declining to stock frequently stolen items such as detergent and cosmetics. The issue is not limited to Washington and Baltimore however, as retailers have suffered billions of dollars of losses in recent years, as the so called “shrink” numbers continue to rise.

Police will apparently continue to investigate the trio of defendants, and additional charges may be forthcoming. For now, the driver, a 19-year-old from Suitland, is facing the brunt of the charges that include 14 counts of theft related offenses from the aforementioned ten different incidents. Many of the incidents are alleged to have occurred in succession, with charges being filed on eight consecutive days from September 13 to September 20. Eight of the 14 charges are felonies, including a catch-all theft scheme charge of $1,500 to $25,000. The driver was released on a $5,000 bond and is due back in court in the middle of November. It does not appear that he has any adult prior convictions in Maryland, and his juvenile record is not accessible by the public. The oldest co-defendant is a 26-year-old also from Suitland, who has additional pending theft charges out of Queen Anne’s County, while the youngest defendant, an 18-year-old, is facing two theft charges from an alleged incident on September 13. The Blog will continue to follow these cases and other similar theft schemes and may post a follow up article in the future as the cases progress.

If you or a loved one is facing theft charges or any other criminal charges in Maryland contact Prince George’s County criminal defense lawyer Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation. Benjamin has successfully defended hundreds of clients in theft charges ranging from shoplifting to felony theft over $100,000. He is also an experienced juvenile theft lawyer who fights to protect the futures of all his clients. Benjamin routinely takes on complicated fraud and employee theft cases, as well as embezzlement and misconduct in office. He is licensed to practice in the federal courts of Greenbelt and Baltimore City, where he specializes in theft of government property and other federal charges. Maryland theft lawyer Benjamin has defended clients in every jurisdiction from Worcester County to Allegany County and is available 7 days a week for his clients. He has locations in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City and can meet at a convenient location in the Eastern Shore for clients facing charges in Salisbury, Ocean City, and Queen Anne’s, Dorchester and Talbot Counties. All clients are provided with cell phone access to Benjamin for off hours access, as we firmly believe constant communication is essential to providing excellent Maryland criminal defense representation. Contact Benjamin at 410-207-2598 to learn what defenses may be available in your case and to start preparing to take on the state or federal government.

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Published on: July 18, 2023

Four Juveniles and Two Adults Arrested in Theft Ring

By Benjamin Herbst

Montgomery County Police recently reported the arrest of six individuals in a brazen theft scheme that involved at least eleven different stores on the Maryland side of the D.C. Metro area. Many of the incidents happened at retail stores in Bethesda, and some of the suspects appear to be connected to additional crimes in Anne Arundel County and Washington D.C. The crimes, which have been labeled as “pack thefts” by law enforcement, are hardly sophisticated and involve a strength in numbers tactic. Most of the incidents were caught on surveillance camera, but the masked thieves did not seem to care as they ransacked the stores in unison, stuffing expensive cosmetics and other items into trash bags and shopping carts. Store employees and onlookers stood by reluctant to intervene as the individuals made off with thousands of dollars of merchandise. In one of the videos released by law enforcement an onlooker was observed on the phone speaking with 911 dispatch, but law enforcement arrived after the bandits had fled the scene. According to police many of the offenses were committed using stolen vehicles that were carjacked or boosted from Washington. One of the juvenile defendants is connected with specific carjackings and armed robberies and will likely be charged as an adult. Both armed robbery and carjacking are considered violent offenses that the juvenile court does not have original jurisdiction over if the defendant is 16 or older.

Only two of the six defendants were actually adults, and the youngest of the arrested individuals was merely 13 years old. The two adult defendants appear to be siblings, and the male was held at the Montgomery County Detention Center without bail after his arrest. This individual, a 28-year-old from D.C., was arrested in mid-June after he apparently crashed a stolen vehicle. He was charged with motor vehicle theft, unauthorized removal of a motor vehicle, felony theft, conspiracy and malicious destruction of property. Police also issued the defendant numerous traffic citations including reckless driving and driving without a license. In a separate but similar case, the same individual was charged with felony theft scheme and malicious destruction of property for accusations dating back to April. The female adult defendant was arrested 5 days after her brother in Washington and was released. She also has a pending case for assault and violating a protective order in Prince George’s County. While the juvenile defendants’ charges are sealed from public view, they are likely charged with the same offenses that include theft $25,000 to $100,000. This felony offense carries up to 10 years in prison upon conviction. This also means that the conspiracy charge would carry the same 10-year maximum penalty as a common law offense. Police are alleging that the total value of items stolen in Montgomery County was $49,000, with tens of thousands more in merchandise potentially being stolen in Washington and Anne Arundel County. The investigation is still ongoing, and more charges may be in store for the individuals involved.

The Blog will continue to follow this case, and other similar theft schemes in Maryland. Police all over the state are now well aware of the rampant pack theft trend, but there does not appear to be any specific law enforcement tactic to prevent these crimes other than old fashioned police work. This means reviewing surveillance camera footage from the store and the surrounding streets, interviewing witness who may have seen identifying marks or tattoos on the suspects and performing a forensic evaluation of the scene. Now that police arrested six suspects, they may be able to further link known associates to additional crimes, and we’ll post a follow up article if that becomes the case. If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime contact Maryland theft lawyer Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation. Benjamin specializes juvenile criminal defense in Maryland, and has successfully argued for the dismissal or transfer of dozens of juvenile cases including robbery, burglary, handgun possession, attempted murder, carjacking and motor vehicle theft. He handles cases in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore and the entire Eastern Shore, and is available 7 days a week for a free consultation at 410-207-2598.

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Published on: May 25, 2023

Juvenile Auto Thefts Skyrocketing

By Benjamin Herbst

Baltimore County Police have reported a 542% increase in juvenile motor vehicle thefts this year compared to last year, with some of the offenders being as young as 12 years old. The trend is especially concerning to police because the vehicles are often used to commit other offenses such as robbery, burglary and theft and even murder. Surveillance cameras affixed to street lights, business and home doorbells are a powerful law enforcement tool to track vehicles that are involved in crimes, but if the cars are stolen these leads will often turn up empty. Hyundai and Kia vehicles from the end of the last decade have been a prime target for these thefts due to their lack of electronic immobilizers, but detectives from the auto theft task force have been adamant that almost all cars are at risk. It’s often as simple as a person leaving the keys in vehicle, as would be thieves often try to open dozens of car doors before finding an easy target. Auto theft detectives have expressed frustration over the Maryland juvenile criminal system, as young car thieves are routinely released from custody almost immediately. In their opinion this has led to a rash of repeat offenses, because there is little deterrent to continuing to commit theft crimes.

The rise in juvenile car thefts is not limited to Baltimore County, as theft and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle are common juvenile offenses all over the state of Maryland. Just last week four teenagers were arrested theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Charles County. As is the normal course of non-violent juvenile cases, the teens were set to be released to guardians, but it turned out that the guardians showed up to the police station in a stolen vehicle themselves. The guardians were dropped off at the police station without incident, and officers went looking for the car after they realized it was stolen. Upon seeing police, the driver of the vehicle panicked and allegedly almost hit one of the police officers as he was attempting to flee. Cops eventually stopped the car, and three more juveniles were located in this stolen vehicle and charged with unauthorized use. One of the juveniles was a 16-year-old with outstanding arrest warrants and another was a 13-year-old girl who was reported missing from another county.

This incident happened on the same day that 5 young adults were also arrested for motor vehicle theft in Charles County after officers patrolling in Waldorf located two stolen Hyundais in front of a business. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of these vehicles but the driver fled. All five suspects were eventually arrested and charged related to this vehicle and allegedly several others. One of the defendants, a 21-year-old male from Washington D.C. was held without bail, likely due to the fact that he has another open motor vehicle theft case in Howard County and an open burglary case in Charles County. By all accounts this means there were at least 10 juveniles or young adults arrested in Charles County for auto theft related charges in a single day, so it’s no surprise the numbers are skyrocketing in Baltimore County as well.

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