Crime Spree

A 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were charged in a recent crime spree that Morgan County Sheriff Vince Shambaugh and Berkeley County Sheriff Kenneth Lemaster said Monday involved multiple burglaries in the region. Shambaugh on Monday announced the arrest of Joshua T. Smith and a 17-year-old boy, and Lemaster scheduled a press conference for Tuesday to talk about how police were able to solve several other related burglary cases. Smith, of 1522 Ropp Drive in Martinsburg, was charged with felony burglary and grand larceny, and the boy faces similar charges as a juvenile, Shambaugh said in a news release.  Shambaugh said police on Thursday recovered two pillowcases “full of jewelry and jewelry boxes, a lock box bearing documents with the name of a local burglary victim, numerous electronic devices to include televisions, laptop computers, game stations, games and movies, furniture and appliance items to include a toaster oven and bar stools, human teeth containing gold, shoes, coins, old paper money and several other small items.” The stolen items, which were recovered in a mobile home last week, are worth several thousand dollars, said Shambaugh, who noted authorities in Jefferson County, W.Va., and Frederick County, Va., also were investigating the crime spree.  “The victims of recent burglaries in Morgan and Berkeley counties were notified, and the majority of the goods have been returned to their rightful owners,” Shambaugh said...

Thieves on a crime spree in a neighborhood south of Hagerstown made off with two luxury automobiles, several sets of golf clubs and an expensive bicycle sometime between late Thursday and early Friday, an investigator with the Washington County Sheriff's Department said. Investigator Greg Alton said the thefts occurred in and around the Black Rock and Brightwood East housing developments off Mount Aetna Road. A 2004 BMW was stolen from Ayoub Lane in Brightwood East, Alton said.

FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick Police Department has arrested two men they say are linked to three April 27 incidents, including an assault on a man, and robberies at a liquor store and car wash. Charles Francis Thomas, 18, of North Kentucky Avenue, Martinsburg, Md., and James Larry Butler, 20, no fixed address, were charged in the incidents at Willowtree Liquors, Elmwood Terrace Apartments and Willowdale Car Wash. Police arrested Thomas on May 20 and Butler on May 23, according to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

Burglar's plea resolves Clear Spring crime spree By MARLO BARNHART / Staff Writer A Westminster, Md., man pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree burglary in Washington County Circuit Court Tuesday, closing the books on an early 2000 crime spree that targeted homes in the Clear Spring area. When he was arrested in Carroll County in late March, Michael Patrick Sandel, now 24, at first denied any involvement when interviewed by Investigator Roy Harsh of the Washington County Sheriff's Department.

By DAVE McMILLION Staff Writer, Martinsburg MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Two Eastern Panhandle men charged in Arkansas with murder, rape and kidnapping are now being accused in a string of other crimes, including theft and impersonating FBI agents, authorities said Thursday. Alan Chauncey, 28, of Ranson, W.Va., and Richard Francis Barr, 20, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., were arrested in connection with the rapes of two sisters in Conway, Ark., and the slitting of their mother's throat.

Md. woman to serve time for role in Franklin County crime spree By STACEY DANZUSO / Staff Writer, Chambersburg A Sabillasville, Md., woman will spend from eight to 23 1/2 months in Franklin County Prison for her role in a crime spree across Franklin County last winter. On Wednesday, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge John Walker sentenced Jodie A. Grimes, 20, to serve 4 to 11 1/2 months on one count of conspiracy to commit burglary, 4 to 12 months on one count of conspiracy to commit theft and 12 months probation on one count of theft.

FAYETTEVILLE, Pa. - Two juveniles face more than 50 charges each stemming from a crime spree in the Fayetteville area between July 2004 and Jan. 14, 2005, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Police said Tuesday the criminal complaints against the two unidentified boys include arson, burglary, theft and criminal mischief. Two other juveniles also were charged with criminal mischief as a result of the investigation, bringing the total number of charges to more than 110, police said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Police continued to search Thursday for a man who helped in a crime spree Wednesday that ended with the shooting of a Martinsburg man during a carjacking attempt. The victim, Marcus Taylor, 20, was discharged Thursday afternoon from City Hospital in Martinsburg, according to a nursing supervisor. Police arrested Clifton Maurice Bradley, 25, of 105 Johnson St., Martinsburg, in connection with the shooting and an earlier strong-armed robbery on Wednesday night.

— A woman accused in a string of crimes last year, including the arson of a vacant duplex in Martinsburg, was sentenced Monday in Berkeley County Circuit Court to two to 15 years in prison. Falon S. Mauck, 26, who pleaded guilty to one count of forgery of a credit card and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, and no contest to breaking and entering of an automobile, also was ordered to pay more than $32,000 in restitution. The plea was part of a binding agreement accepted by presiding 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Gray Silver III, who noted Mauck had little criminal history prior to the crime spree.

A 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were charged in a recent crime spree that Morgan County Sheriff Vince Shambaugh and Berkeley County Sheriff Kenneth Lemaster said Monday involved multiple burglaries in the region. Shambaugh on Monday announced the arrest of Joshua T. Smith and a 17-year-old boy, and Lemaster scheduled a press conference for Tuesday to talk about how police were able to solve several other related burglary cases. Smith, of 1522 Ropp Drive in Martinsburg, was charged with felony burglary and grand larceny, and the boy faces similar charges as a juvenile, Shambaugh said in a news release.  Shambaugh said police on Thursday recovered two pillowcases “full of jewelry and jewelry boxes, a lock box bearing documents with the name of a local burglary victim, numerous electronic devices to include televisions, laptop computers, game stations, games and movies, furniture and appliance items to include a toaster oven and bar stools, human teeth containing gold, shoes, coins, old paper money and several other small items.” The stolen items, which were recovered in a mobile home last week, are worth several thousand dollars, said Shambaugh, who noted authorities in Jefferson County, W.Va., and Frederick County, Va., also were investigating the crime spree.  “The victims of recent burglaries in Morgan and Berkeley counties were notified, and the majority of the goods have been returned to their rightful owners,” Shambaugh said...

— A woman accused in a string of crimes last year, including the arson of a vacant duplex in Martinsburg, was sentenced Monday in Berkeley County Circuit Court to two to 15 years in prison. Falon S. Mauck, 26, who pleaded guilty to one count of forgery of a credit card and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, and no contest to breaking and entering of an automobile, also was ordered to pay more than $32,000 in restitution. The plea was part of a binding agreement accepted by presiding 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Gray Silver III, who noted Mauck had little criminal history prior to the crime spree.

So, is that a rib-eye in your pants, or are you just happy to see me? You had to love the "choplifter" story of last week, in which a gentleman was - well, staff writer Erin Julius puts it better than I ever could: "Testimony during a jury trial Thursday centered around whether the bulges in a man's pants were packages of meat he stole from a local grocery store. " The chap was convicted for stealing less than $100 worth of meat by stuffing it in his clothing at a local Food Lion.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Two Hagerstown brothers convicted on charges that they broke into half a dozen Franklin County homes last year received state prison sentences Wednesday in Franklin County Court. John Lynn Miles Jr., 19, and Matthew Lee Miles, 18, both of 923 Kenly Drive, each pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and one count of criminal trespass, according to court records. Judge Douglas W. Herman sentenced John Miles to three years and three months to 11 years in prison, with Matthew Miles getting three to 11 1/2 years in prison.

HAGERSTOWN pepperb@herald-mail.com Three youths admitted in Washington County juvenile court Wednesday that they took part in an August crime spree, helping to steal items from several parked cars in Williamsport. Deputy State's Attorney Steven Kessell said 26 people were victimized in the spree, which occurred in parts of Williamsport, including the Sterling Oaks neighborhood, in early August. A 17-year-old Florida girl admitted to felony theft. An 18-year-old Smithsburg man and a 16-year-old Williamsport boy each admitted to two counts of felony theft and conspiracy to commit felony theft.

Thieves on a crime spree in a neighborhood south of Hagerstown made off with two luxury automobiles, several sets of golf clubs and an expensive bicycle sometime between late Thursday and early Friday, an investigator with the Washington County Sheriff's Department said. Investigator Greg Alton said the thefts occurred in and around the Black Rock and Brightwood East housing developments off Mount Aetna Road. A 2004 BMW was stolen from Ayoub Lane in Brightwood East, Alton said.

FAYETTEVILLE, Pa. - Two juveniles face more than 50 charges each stemming from a crime spree in the Fayetteville area between July 2004 and Jan. 14, 2005, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Police said Tuesday the criminal complaints against the two unidentified boys include arson, burglary, theft and criminal mischief. Two other juveniles also were charged with criminal mischief as a result of the investigation, bringing the total number of charges to more than 110, police said.

gregs@herald-mail.com FAIRPLAY - Sitting at the bar Monday afternoon at McNamee's Tavern, Earl Church didn't have to think long about the prospect of possibly being a sniper target. "Downright scary, really," said Church, 59, of Fairplay. "If they could've got here, I could've got shot. They shot a bus driver. I don't know. " McNamee's, May's Service Station and the Nibble Quik convenience store at the intersection of Md. 65 and Md. 68 are the only storefronts near Fairplay.

Close suggests charging per bag for trash service Hancock Town Manager Lou Close asked the Town Council Wednesday night to consider a policy that would allow town residents to pay per bag for trash service. Close said residents with small amounts of garbage pay the same rates as those with several bags. He said the town could sell stickers to put on the bags or sell bags with the town's name on them. He said the town should study rates of other towns with similar policies.

julieg@herald-mail.com Yogi Bear was not the only victim in a southern Washington County crime spree last year that landed six of seven suspects in court Wednesday. The crime spree in the Boonsboro and Keedysville areas ended with broken lamp post lights, residential windows and numerous vehicle windows. The damage was done with rocks and BB guns, according to court records and Assistant Washington County State's Attorney Steven Kessell. Nine windows at Boonsboro Elementary School were damaged by BB guns or batted golf balls last November, court records state.