Break Ins

Police in Howard County are investigating a string of break-ins of shops and other businesses in Columiba, all committed late Tuesday into early Wednesday, and all in close proximity. Here is a list from the Howard County Police Department: "6400 block of Dobbin Center Way : Tan Stand: Front glass door of business shattered. Cash was taken. Pei Wei: Front glass door of business shattered. Unknown what was taken at this time. Max Muscle: Glass at front of business shattered.

About 100 firefighters battled a large fire in a block of apartments in eastern Baltimore County on Sunday night, the county Fire Department said, though no one was reported to have been injured in the blaze. The two-alarm fire was reported in the 9110 block of Abigail Drive, off Franklin Square Drive, about 8 p.m., and fire was showing from the second and third floors of an apartment, the department said. The fire was under control about an hour later. Investigators are working to determine what caused the fire and the extent of damages.

A 40-year-old Essex man has been charged in a string of break-ins and a sex offense, Baltimore County police said Wednesday. Troy Trevon Thames of the 1000 block of Bayner Road has been charged in three incidents, the most recent on Monday. In that incident, police say, a man broke into a house in the 1000 block of Punjab Drive through an unlocked sliding-glass door and confronted a woman in her bedroom. The assailant shone a light in the woman's face, police said. The woman told police that she began to scream for her boyfriend, who was in the shower, and the assailant fled.

Freshman guard Seth Allen broke a bone in his shooting hand and is out for what remains of Maryland's season, coach Mark Turgeon said today. Allen sustained the injury reaching to make a play in practice Sunday. He will see a specialist when Maryland returns from Tuesday night's NIT quarterfinals game at Alabama, and is expected back next season. Allen has been through long recovery periods before. A bicycle accident in 2007 left him with two plates and 24 screws to stabilize his left elbow.

The bespectacled man in the collared shirt and red tie had the face of an accountant, and police who dubbed him the "preppy burglar" surmised he dressed like a door-to-door salesman to help him break into homes unnoticed. A video from a surveillance camera that spread across the Internet captured the sandy-haired man holding what appeared to be an official piece of paper and knocking on the front door of a rural Clarksville home. Then it showed him emerging, wearing gloves and carrying computer equipment.

Harford police detectives believe a string of 60 burglaries and attempted burglaries in the county last month could be related to more than 100 similar break-ins in Baltimore County.Investigators have not determined whether an individual or a group of thieves is responsible for the burglaries, which have occurred from Abingdon to Jarrettsville between March 25 and April 30.DeWayne D. Curry, spokesman for the county Sheriff's Department, said investigators from the department are working with the BaltimoreCounty Police Department on the burglaries.

Howard County police are investigating break-ins at four county schools last weekend.Police say the incidents may be related, but so far, they have no suspects.The break-ins occurred at Swansfield Elementary School in the 5600 block of Cedar Lane in Harper's Choice; Glenelg High School in the 14000 block of Burnt Woods Road in Glenelg; Oakland Mills High School in the 9400 block of Kilimanjaro Road in Oakland Mills; and the Howard County School of Technology on Route 108 in Ellicott City, police said.

Two Lineboro men are believed to be responsible for a series of break-ins at 15 homes, businesses and churches, according to indictments returned this week by a Carroll grand jury.The grand jury returned a 59-count indictment against Robert Dewayne Robertson, 28, and a 25-count indictment against his neighbor, John David Lynn, 27. Both live in the 5100 block of Graves Run Road.According to the indictments, the pair conspired in five burglaries between October 1992 and January 1993. The five burglaries were at Moffit's General Store and B&D Truck Hoist Co., in Westminster; and the House of Pasta restaurant, a construction site and a home in Manchester.

Residents in town houses along April Journey in the Dorsey's Search village of Columbia are worried after thieves broke into eight homes in a two-day crime spree last week.Thieves also attempted to break into at least 10 other homes Thursday and Friday in the 5500 to 5700 blocks of April Journey. At times, the thieves pried into French or atrium doors, while other homes were entered through doors or basement windows that might have been left unlocked, police said."It's pretty nerve-wracking to know people were walking around trying to break into 18 homes around here," said Cathy Lester, 35, a resident who experienced an attempted break-in.

A 16-year-old Crofton youth was charged as a juvenile yesterday with six felony counts of breaking and entering and two counts of destruction of property in connection with several break-ins at the Crofton Shopping Center, county police said.The youth, who was released to his parents, was charged in connection with three burglaries of the Crofton Station Cleaners and two burglaries of the Electronic One-Stop store, said Detective Joseph Pazulski, a police spokesman.The break-ins at the cleaners occurred March 30, May 30 and June 12, Detective Pazulski said.

The following is compiled from police reports. It is the Baltimore Messenger's policy to include descriptions only when there is enough information to make identification possible. If you have any information about these crimes, call the Baltimore City Police Department's Northern District at 410-396-2455. Bretton Place 400 block, between 12:22 and 2:22 p.m. March 8. Residence broken into, but nothing reported stolen. Entry gained by breaking window on basement door. North Calvert Street 2700 block at 6:45 p.m. March 8. Man walking to his porch robbed at gunpoint of cash.

People anxious about seismic demographic shifts already under way in the Western Hemisphere may be a bit unnerved by Caridad Svich's futuristic drama “The Tropic of X,” receiving its English-language premiere from Single Carrot Theatre - the company's first venture in its temporary headquarters in the former home of Everyman Theatre. The playwright's vision conjures a world where North and South America have fused into a strange melange where languages and longings converge, or collide.

At first glance, Dayvon Love is easy to overlook. At 5 foot 9, he has average height and a slightly larger than average build. As he carefully takes in everything and everyone in a room, he might initially seem painfully shy. So when he finally speaks, his observations can hit you like a punch you had no idea was coming. He says that in his experience as a teacher, most Baltimore City Public Schools students think of your average teacher as "someone who's not cool or smart enough to do anything else.

A water main break near northbound Route 13 in Salisbury has left about half a dozen homes without water Monday morning, city officials said. At least five homes on Middle Neck Lane and businesses from Pep Boys at Priscilla Street to Boulevard Motors north and southbound Route 13 will be without water, city officials said. The main is expected to be repaired by 2:30 p.m. One northbound lane on Route 13 will be shutdown. jkanderson@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

The following is compiled from local police reports. Our policy is to include descriptions when there is enough information to make identification possible. If you have any information about these crimes, call the Wilkens Police Station at 410-887-0872. Leeds Avenue, 5200 block, Dec.15,10:15 p.m. Back door of Leeds Dry Cleaners forced open. Nothing reported stolen. Linden Avenue, 1300 block , Dec. 14, between 2:30 p.m. and 6:13 p.m. Basement door forced open at Southwestern Investments.

Firefighters were battling a two-alarm blaze that broke out Friday night in a Highlandtown residence. By the time that the Baltimore City Fire Department was notified at about 9:25 p.m., flames had engulfed a three-story residence at 419 S. Robinson St., according to dispatchers. A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson said there were no injuries in the fire. Further information was not immediately available. Text NIGHTLIFE to 70701 to sign up for Baltimore Sun nightlife and music text alerts

Homeowners in River Hill, Columbia's newest village, experienced three break-ins and two attempted break-ins last week, Howard County police said.Sgt. Steven Keller, spokesman for the Police Department, said investigators believe some of the break-ins may be related, noting that each of the incidents occurred at houses off Route 32.The incidents include:* A car phone and a camcorder taken from a vehicle in the 6500 block of Evening Company between Monday and Wednesday. The vehicle was parked in an unlocked garage.

Howard County police have made 24 arrests in swimming pool break-ins this summer in Columbia. While warm weather often results in a slight increase in vandalism and burglary at swimming pools, this year the break-ins were much more abundant than in previous years, police said. During the peak in June, 10 of the Columbia Association's 23 pools were burglarized. "It raised a red flag, and the department wanted to respond quickly to prevent additional events from occurring throughout the summer," said Sherry Llewellyn, spokeswoman for the Police Department.

Maryland opened its season Saturday with hope inspired by a new quarterback, new offensive and defensive coordinators, new kicker, new FieldTurf and new uniforms that – unlike last year – displayed the players' names on their backs. But, for the longest time, no Terp crossed into the colorful new end zones featuring bold, Maryland flag-inspired patterns. The new quarterback threw three interceptions. The kicker missed a first-half chip shot. For three quarters, the players may have wished their names weren't attached to their jerseys.

Water service was restored by early Saturday evening to a portion of the Aberdeen area after a highway construction contractor ruptured a water main that morning, a Harford County government spokesman said Sunday. In addition to some homes and businesses losing service, the county said others experienced low pressure and discoloration of their water, the latter lasting until Monday in some instances. A contractor working for the State Highway Administration on the Route 40/715 interchange reconstruction caused the water main break, according to the county.