Charles County Sheriff Rex W. Coffey said thefts from autos have declined so far this year and the Agency is aiming to reduce these types of thefts even more. “Property crimes not only cause a great deal of inconvenience to people, they violate our sense of safety and sometimes lead to other crimes. Our plan is two-fold: to minimize a thief’s opportunity to steal and to educate our community on how they can help reduce their chance of being targeted,” said Coffey.
A preliminary analysis of data shows the number of thefts from autos has decreased slightly with 177 cases reported this year compared to 193 reported this time last year – an 8 percent difference. “A decline in crime is always good, but there is potential to further reduce these crimes,” said Coffey. “We’ve implemented strategies to help prevent thefts from autos and we’ve made tremendous progress.”
On a daily basis, crime analysts and detectives review each and every report relating to thefts from autos in order to establish crime trends and help determine where officers need to concentrate patrols. “Not only do our officers patrol commuter parking lots and shopping centers – areas commonly favored by thieves – they look to see how we can keep them safe.”
Last week, the Sheriff’s Office, along with Charles County Public Works, the Maryland State Highway Administration, and Van Go, coordinated a massive clean-up at Smallwood park and ride in Waldorf where landscaping overgrowth was cut or scaled back to improve visibility for Sheriff’s officers who patrol that corridor.
Citing the importance of identifying theft suspects, Sheriff Coffey said arrests help reduce the rate of recidivism. On May 21, detectives made progress in the recent investigation of a string of thefts. Robert Allen Krell, 25, and Amy Lynn Sotelo, 21 both of Charlotte Hall, were arrested and charged in connection with multiple thefts from autos that occurred last month.
Detectives say the suspects broke into parked cars at various locations – three at area gyms – and stole purses, wallets, credit cards and other valuables. They used the stolen credit cards at stores throughout the region to purchase gas, snacks, and items they could pawn. Detectives identified the suspects after viewing surveillance footage in the areas where the thefts occurred and subsequently linked the pair to at least five thefts. Krell and Sotelo were charged with theft, credit card fraud, rogue and vagabond and destruction of property.
Although some stolen property was recovered, Coffey said detectives often have a difficult time identifying the owner of valuables because the property is not marked. “We strongly encourage people to keep records of serial numbers or etch identifying marks on their items so that if we do recover property it’s easily identifiable.” To help reduce thefts from autos, the CCSO recommends the following:
• Remove all valuables
• If you must leave valuables inside the car, keep them out of plain view
• Lock and secure car door and windows
• Report suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office
“Small changes – such as getting in the habit of removing valuables from vehicles and locking car doors – can make a big difference,” said Sheriff Coffey. For more information about safety tips, visit the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Web site at www.ccso.us.
