Police Blotter: Arrests in Car Thefts

Two Arrested Juveniles Linked to Car Thefts

Baltimore County police have arrested two juveniles believed responsible for a .

Police spokesperson Det. Cathleen Batton said that one Arbutus teenager was arrested on Oct. 4 and a second on Oct. 10. Both have been charged with auto theft and have been "positively linked" to five crimes, she said.

The arrests were the result of an investigation by the regional auto theft task force (RATT), Batton said.

Nineteen cars were stolen between Aug. 18 and Sept. 27. The stolen autos have been abandoned, damaged, or crashed prior to owners reporting them stolen in the morning, according to police.

Police have not released the names of the juvenile suspects, who are 16 and 17 years of age. Batton said that an investigation is ongoing to link the suspects with more thefts. Additional charges may be pending, she said.

Man Shot During Circle Terrace Robbery

A man was shot twice and struck with a baseball bat during an Oct. 13 robbery at Circle Terrace Apartments, according to police.

At around 7:40 p.m., a 31-year-old man was approached by two suspects who attempted to rob him. The victim struggled with his attackers, one of whom struck him several times on the head with a black metal baseball bat. The other suspect fired two rounds from an undescribed gun, stricking the victim in the lower leg and the back of the head, according to police.

The suspects were described by police as two black males wearing masks. The victim was transported to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment of his injuries.

East Drive Shop Robbed at Knifepoint

A gift shop on the 5200-block of East Drive in Arbutus was robbed by a suspect bearing a knife at around 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 14.

According to police, a man walked into the shop and waited for one of the employees to leave the sales floor. The suspect then approached a second employee, pulled out a folding knife, and demanded money. After leaning over the counter and taking an undetermined amount of money, the suspect fled on foot toward East Drive.

Police described the suspect as a white male 20-30 years old, about 5'8" with a medium build, wearing a green baseball hat, wire frame glasses, a dark green shirt and green camo shorts. The suspect also had a tattoo on the inside of the right wrist.

Attempted Robbery at Cigarette Outlet

A man attempted to rob the Cigarette Outlet store on the 5400-block of East Drive on Oct. 15, according to police.

At around 2:07 p.m., a man entered the store and approached the register with a note demandig money. The suspect punched a glass display case, breaking the glass, then struck the cash register with an unknown object and demanded money.

The woman behind the register called for her husband, who startled the suspect. The suspect fled the store without taking anything.

Police described the suspect as a white male in his 20s, about 5'6" with a medium build, wearing a dark green long sleeve shirt and black pants.

Man Assaulted on Hammonds Ferry Road

A man reported being assaulted in Lansdowne on Oct. 16, according to police. The victim was walking down Hammonds Ferry Road at around 3 p.m. when he was approached by a group of males who began yelling and cursing at him, police said.

One of the suspects produced a handgun during the altercation and pressed the weapon against the victim's stomach and chin, according to police. The incident is still under investigation.

Armed Robbery at Hollins Ferry Convenience Store

The Speedy Mart on the 3800-block of Hollins Ferry Road was robbed on Oct. 15, according to police.

The man waited in an aisle for all the customers to leave, then approached the cashier with a folding knife with a red handle. The suspect jumped over the counter and hit the register keys until the drawer opened. The man took an undetermined amount of money, jumped back over the counter, and fled on foot out the front door.

The suspect was described as a white male in his 20s, wearing a balck hat, glasses and a long-sleeve grey shirt.

Burglaries in the Area

Oct. 12: A resident on the 1200-block of Poplar Avenue in Arbutus reported that at some time since the previous day, an unknown person stole two ladders from an unsecured fenced back yard.

Oct. 14: At around 7:05 a.m., police responded to the 1800-block of Superior Avenue in Arbutus, where a resident reported that an unknown person entered through a second-floor window and took jewelry before leaving through a rear sliding glass door.

Oct. 16: A homeowner on the 4300-block of Spring Avenue in Halethorpe reported that at some time since Oct. 2 an unknown person took his ladder from his rear yard.

For questions about this blotter, email bruce.goldfarb@patch.com.