MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — A woman allegedly responsible for a pre-dawn string of break-ins, thefts, and a stolen truck has been identified as 42-year-old Barbara Diaz of Florida. Her erratic behavior on May 26, 2025, resulted in a multi-page charging document outlining a spree that included knocking on doors, burglarizing school buses, and joyriding in a local resident’s Ford Ranger.
The incident began just after 2 a.m. when deputies responded to a residence on Baptist Church Road. A woman was seen striking a 2017 Hyundai and kicking the door of an apartment. The resident showed deputies surveillance footage of the interaction. The woman appeared to repeatedly hit the car, causing an estimated $100 in damage to the door handle and another $50 in dents to the apartment door. She was later identified as Diaz, who had previously been contacted by law enforcement regarding her welfare in unrelated calls.
Less than 30 minutes later, another 911 call led deputies to a nearby residence on Old Village Road. A witness reported that a woman matching Diaz’s description entered the home uninvited. The resident stated she awoke to find the woman holding household items, who then apologized by saying, “Sorry, I thought you were dead,” before handing back the items and walking out. Diaz left the area in a 2003 Monte Carlo, which investigators later confirmed had been taken from the property. The vehicle belonged to a woman who was not home at the time.
Deputies discovered that during her brief presence at the residence, Diaz allegedly rifled through several vehicles parked outside. From one Jeep, she reportedly stole a carton of cigarettes valued at $120. Two other vehicles—a Kia and a Nissan—were also unlawfully entered, with over-the-counter medications, including Benadryl and Tylenol, reported missing.
By 2:45 a.m., deputies were investigating her involvement in another theft—this time of two school bus first aid kits. Cpl. Snyder of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office had just completed work at the Old Village Road scene when victims noticed unfamiliar first aid kits sitting on a nearby porch. Recalling a fleet of parked school buses in the vicinity, he followed up and discovered that three buses had been entered. One had sustained $300 in window damage. The missing first aid kits matched those spotted earlier.
A fourth vehicle—a white Ford Transit van owned by a commercial transportation company—was also found with a shattered window and door damage. Diaz allegedly discarded the first aid kits near the porch following the bus burglaries.
At 6:07 a.m., deputies received another call—this time from a man in Scotland, Md., who reported a woman had entered his unlocked Ford Ranger, started it, and driven away. The truck, valued at $5,000, also contained a bag of power tools worth approximately $300. Deputies intercepted the vehicle minutes later on Point Lookout Road. Diaz was confirmed to be the driver based on witness descriptions and doorbell camera footage.
Diaz was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree burglary, theft, unlawful motor vehicle taking, malicious destruction of property, and rogue and vagabond. Individual charges carry potential penalties of up to 20 years for burglary and 10 years for vehicle theft. Even misdemeanor counts such as property destruction and minor theft could result in up to three years in jail and significant fines if convicted.
All alleged offenses occurred in St. Mary’s County. Diaz remains in custody as legal proceedings continue. No injuries were reported.
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