Bel Air holiday porch pirate busted
On December 19, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office reported that thanks to an anonymous tip from one of their concerned citizens, deputies charged a man for directing his daughter to steal a package from the porch of a home in Bel Air, Maryland.
The suspected porch pirate is identified as Gary Martin Smith, 46, of Abingdon. Deputies charged him with Theft under $100, Conspiracy to commit Theft, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and 4th Degree Burglary.
Deputies were first notified of the incident on December 2. Through their investigation, it was determined that Smith was in the 400 block of Inez Court in Bel Air on November 30 at approximately 4 p.m. when he directed his five-year-old daughter to steal the package off the porch of a home in that block. The package contained a pair pf boots.
Video of the theft taken from a home surveillance system was posted on the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on December 7th; and the deputy handling the case received an anonymous tip identifying the girl in the video. That tip directly resulted in positively identifying her, which led deputies to arresting her father.
A warrant has been issued for Smith’s arrest. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call the Harford County Sheriff’s Office at 410-612-1717.
Video and original Sheriff’s post from December 7 …
We always warn you about package Grinches this time of year, but it’s hard to believe that a Grinch decided to use Cindy Lou Who this year to steal packages! Watch as this young girl, no older than 8, runs into a yard, looks back to get directions, then steals a package from a porch! Who uses a child in this manner?!
Please be aware of your surroundings, look for suspicious activity in your neighborhood, and have packages delivered to a safe and secure location if you can! Remember, if you see something suspicious, call us!
This incident happened on November 30 around noon in the 400 block of Inez Court in Bel Air. If you saw something suspicious around that time frame please call Deputy Matthew Turner at 410-612-1717.
Also see:
- FBI warning: Cyber scammers are targeting holiday shoppers
- Arrest made in hit and run crash that killed Towson University student
- Former Maryland school principal, 90, arrested for raping teen students in the 1960s
(Source: Harford County Sheriff’sOffice)
~ Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
