LA PLATA, Md. (May 10, 2013)—The Charles County Sheriff's Office released the following incident and arrest reports.
THEFT FROM AUTO: On May 7, during the overnight hours, unknown suspect(s) broke into a van in the 2400 block of Hanover Court in Waldorf and stole tools. Cpl. J. Jones is investigating.
THEFTS FROM AUTOS: Between May 7 - May 8, unknown suspect(s) broke into cars parked on Carroll Drive, Meadowsweet Drive, and Cygnet Drive in Waldorf and stole valuables which were left inside the vehicles. Purses, brief cases, navigation systems, sunglasses, an Ipad, a laptop and money were stolen. Officers conducted a neighborhood canvass and located a witness who reported seeing a male dressed in dark clothing inside one of the cars during the times the thefts occurred but the witness thought the person was the car owner; it was not. The CCSO is reminding residents to remove valuables from vehicles when leaving a car unattended. Also, if you see something unusual, take a few minutes to continue watching and report any suspicious activity. Pfc K. Newman is investigating.
PATROL OFFICERS FIND DRUGS IN CAR: On May 3 at 11:15 a.m., Officers V. Warker and J. Morales initiated a traffic stop on Lancaster Circle in Waldorf after observing suspicious activity. During the stop, officers smelled marijuana coming from the car. Nineteen baggies of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle. Stefan Edward Black-Smith, 19, of Upper Marlboro, and two juveniles, ages 17, were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.
CCSO WARNS OF POTENTIAL MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SCAM: Are you interested in purchasing a magazine subscription? Are you willing to write a check to a door-to-door salesman on the spot? If so, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office is asking you to use caution before making a payment.
The Sheriff’s Office occasionally receives reports of groups of people, most often young men, canvassing neighborhoods and offering magazine subscriptions to residents they encounter outside or by knocking on doors. Sometimes the sales pitch includes information about a charity or other cause that proceeds from the magazine sales supposedly benefit. Based on information provided by witnesses, the Sheriff’s Office believes that in some cases, the salespeople likely represent illegitimate businesses conducting a scam.
If you encounter a salesperson and are interested in purchasing the company’s products, please consider these tips before offering them money:
-- Ask to see a Peddler’s Permit issued by the Charles County Government. If they cannot provide one, they are operating illegally.
-- Ask for contact information and time to make a decision. Consider it suspicious behavior if the salesperson cannot provide contact information and demands an immediate sale.
-- If the salesperson grants you additional time to make a decision, use the time to research the company’s background. Visit the Better Business Bureau’s website, www.bbb.org, and read complaints or other feedback.
-- If you decide to purchase a subscription or other products or services from a door-to-door-salesperson, never make your check payable to a person. Instead, make your check payable to the company conducting the sale and always specify in the memo section of your check what product or service you are purchasing.
Finally, the Sheriff’s Office always suggests that citizens use caution before answering the door for strangers and advises anyone who observes or encounters a suspicious person to call 301-932-2222. Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office asks citizens to share this information with family and friends.
CCSO OFFICERS APPREHEND SUSPECTS IN TWO CITIZEN ROBBERIES: The Charles County Sheriff's Office is reminding citizens to take precautions when conducting banking or ATM business - no matter what city, town or state in which the business is being conducted. Over the course of the past month, three people have been targeted by thieves after they conducted transactions at local banks or ATM's.
In one case, an employee of a store was making a night deposit at an ATM when he was robbed. In another case, a male suspect watched an elderly woman make a withdrawal from a bank - located inside a grocery store - and when she left, the suspect approached her in the parking lot, grabbed her purse and fled; he was arrested a short time later by CCSO patrol officers.
In the most recent case on May 2 at about 11 a.m., two suspects watched a woman withdraw money from an ATM located inside a bank in the 3000 block of Waldorf Market Place. As the victim got back into her car, a male suspect approached, displayed a gun and demanded money. The victim complied and the suspect fled in an older model Honda which was being driven by a female. Witnesses provided officers with a description of the suspects and their getaway car and Officer A. Fenlon spotted the vehicle near Crain Highway and McKendree Road. Officer Fenlon initiated a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over. Officers pursued the car to the area of Brandywine Crossing where they were able to get the car stopped. The male suspect jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to escape, but he was apprehended by officers. The female driver remained inside the car and she was apprehended without incident. Tylane Lorenzo Landy, 27, and Lanaisha Danielle Lanford, 19, both of Washington, D.C., were charged with armed robbery and remanded to the Charles County Detention Center with a $250,000 bond.
These types of robberies can occur anywhere at any time. When banking or using the ATM, the CCSO is offering a few safety suggestions:
-- Pay close attention to your surroundings. Before using an ATM or going inside your bank, take a look around the parking lot. Do you see anyone hanging around or sitting in a car? Make mental notes of the type of clothes they are they wearing. What type of car are they in? Watch what they do for a few minutes.
-- When you are finished your transaction, stay mindful of your surroundings. Is anyone approaching you? How are they acting? If something doesn't seem right, go back inside.
-- Don't be fooled into thinking you know what a thief looks like. Many times thieves are by themselves, but sometimes they have partners and lately, the culprits have been male/female teams. In one case, the male suspect had a child in his car. Nowadays, thieves try to blend in and not stand out so pay close attention to what people are doing as your conduct your banking transactions.
-- Don't select an ATM at the corner of a building—corners create a blind spot. Use an ATM located near the center of a building. Do your automated banking in a public, well-lighted location that is free of shrubbery and decorative partitions or dividers.
-- Never count cash at the machine or in public or in your car. Wait until you are in a secure place.
-- When using a drive-up ATM, keep your engine running, your doors locked and leave enough room to maneuver between your car and the one ahead of you in the drive-up line.
-- Maintain a supply of deposit envelopes at home or in your car. Prepare all transaction paperwork prior to your arrival at the ATM. This will minimize the amount of time spent at the machine.
-- If you are involved in a confrontation with an assailant who demands your money, comply.
CCSO ANNOUNCES 2013 TORCH RUN:
Help fuel the Flame of Hope: Join the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland on June 6 at 9 a.m. in La Plata.
Two routes – a 3.5-mile route for runners and a 3-mile route for walkers – will depart Texas Roadhouse in La Plata and return there for lunch and other refreshments being provided by the restaurant’s staff and other local businesses, including Chick-fil-A. Registration is not required but participants must purchase a Torch Run T-shirt or hat and arrive at Texas Roadhouse by 8:45 a.m. to participate in a group photo. The various routes make the Torch Run suitable for all participation levels from experienced runners to leisurely walkers with children and strollers.
Hundreds of runners and walkers from the CCSO and the community are expected to attend. U.S. Marines from the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head will lead the runners behind a specially selected torch bearer. Special Olympics athletes and their families also take part in the event. Charles County’s Torch Run is one of multiple Torch Runs in Maryland, all of which converge at Towson University in Towson, Md., on Fri., June 7 to light the cauldron at the Special Olympics Maryland Summer Games Opening ceremony.
Five local restaurants have announced they will host fundraisers to help raise money for the Torch Run:
-- Pizza Hotline on May 13 from 2 p.m. to the close of business.
-- Port Tobacco Marina Restaurant on May 16 from 5-10 p.m.
-- Buffalo Wild Wings from 11 a.m. May 24 to 1 a.m. May 25
-- Boston’s Pizza on May 29 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
-- Texas Roadhouse on June 4 from 4-10 p.m.
Special Olympics Maryland also announced a new initiative this year, Shirts for Soldiers, which allows supporters to purchase a Torch Run T-shirt that will be sent to the Maryland Army National Guard 200th Military Police Company, which recently deployed to Afghanistan, or to other Maryland National Guard units deployed around the world. Those who choose to donate a T-shirt to a soldier also have the opportunity to write a personal note, which will be included with the shirt. Special Olympics Maryland has created a “Thank You” card template, which can be downloaded at the CCSO’s website at http://www.ccso.us/downloads/ Shirts4SoldiersThanks.pdf.
Torch Run shirts are $10 and available in sizes from small to XXXL. Dri-Fit shirts are also available for $15. Hats are $10. Contact Sgt. Proctor at 240-299-5207 or proctora@ccso.us to purchase your T-shirt or hat. If you would like to make a monetary donation instead, mail it to Charles County Sheriff’s Office/Attention Sgt. Proctor/PO Box 189/La Plata MD 20646 and be sure to indicate your donation is for Special Olympics Maryland. If you are a local business and would like to donate your services, contact Sgt. Proctor. For more information about Special Olympics Maryland, visit http://www.somd.org.