LEONARDTOWN, Md. — A Lexington Park man faces multiple theft charges after investigators alleged he stole nearly $1,800 worth of DeWalt batteries from two St. Mary’s County hardware stores and later sold them to a pawn shop.
Joseph Dale Thomas, 67, was charged with felony theft scheme involving $1,500 to less than $25,000, misdemeanor theft scheme involving $100 to less than $1,500, five counts of theft valued between $100 and $1,500 and one count of theft of less than $100.
According to charging documents, the manager of the Ace Hardware store on Merchants Lane in Leonardtown contacted the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office on July 29 after reviewing surveillance footage from thefts reported July 23 and July 24.
Investigators said the same man was also connected to a July 24 theft at the Ace Hardware store on Triangle Drive in Charlotte Hall.
In each incident, the suspect allegedly concealed batteries in his clothing and left without paying. Police said surveillance footage showed him operating a blue Honda sedan with a silver front driver-side fender.
The first theft allegedly occurred around 8:30 a.m. July 23, when two DeWalt FlexVolt batteries valued at $319 each were taken from the Leonardtown store.
The next day, two DeWalt 9-amp-hour batteries valued at $259 each were allegedly stolen from the same location around 10:45 a.m.
Later that afternoon, two additional DeWalt FlexVolt batteries valued at $319 each were allegedly taken from the Charlotte Hall store.
The total value of the six batteries was $1,794, according to court records.
Investigators reported tracing the stolen merchandise to PawnIt in Lexington Park.
Thomas allegedly sold two batteries for $175 on July 23, another pair for $80 on July 24 and the final two for $180 later that day. A pawn shop employee provided investigators with transaction slips and identification records, according to charging documents.
Police contacted Thomas at his Lexington Park home July 28. Investigators said the blue Honda sedan seen in surveillance footage was parked outside.
Thomas allegedly acknowledged selling the batteries to the pawn shop but denied committing the July 23 theft. Court records state that he was initially charged in connection with the July 24 incidents, with the earlier case later added separately.
A criminal summons was issued July 31.
A preliminary inquiry is set for Sept. 4 in St. Mary’s District Court.
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Now he don’t make no since. He love jail.