Protecting Yourself Against Vehicle Theft and Break-ins
Keeping your vehicles safe and deterring potential criminals from targeting you remains a priority throughout the year. While remembering to use safe habits every day such as always locking your vehicles when you leave them, it’s a good idea to review helpful safety tips that industry experts advise can reduce your chances of being a victim of vehicle thefts and break-ins.
Preventative measures you can take include:
Always lock your vehicle and close the windows completely.
Never leave your engine running with the vehicle unlocked while you quickly run into a business, your home, or anywhere else.
Park in well-lit, secure areas.
Remove valuables or ensure they are out of sight.
Employ visible or audible deterrents like alarms, steering wheel locks, or decals.
Consider installing a vehicle immobilizer or GPS tracking system.
When purchasing a used vehicle, always make sure you receive an ownership certificate.
Never keep the vehicle’s title inside your vehicle; store this document in a secure location such as a safe at home or a bank safety deposit box.
If you see someone acting suspiciously near your vehicle, report it to the police.
Consider a car cover to hide your vehicle from sight.
Stay informed on auto theft prevention tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It’s never too late to start making good, conscientious habits part of your routine such as double checking that you have your keys when leaving your vehicle. For more regional statistics and auto theft prevention tips, visit the Maryland State Police’s Vehicle Theft Statistics site.
Custodial Arrests
3/24/26, a male, age 19, was arrested for shoplifting in the Unit Blk. Upper Rock Circle.
3/25/26, a male, age 65, was arrested for shoplifting and trespassing in the 400 Blk. Redland Boulevard.
3/25/26, a male, age 13, was arrested for aggravated assault, attempted homicide, and reckless endangerment in the 400 Blk. Redland Boulevard.
3/28/26, a male, age 48, was arrested for assault, disorderly conduct, obstructing, and resisting arrest in the 800 Blk. Elmcroft Boulevard.
3/29/26, a male, age 36, was arrested for disorderly conduct in the 1400 Blk. Research Boulevard.
3/28/26, a female, age 27, was arrested for shoplifting in the 1500 Blk. Rockville Pike.
3/28/26, a male, age 36, was arrested for trespassing in the 2200 Blk. Veirs Mill Road.
3/30/26, a male, age 49, was arrested for a bench warrant in the Unit Blk. W. Montgomery Avenue.
Incidents
Unit Blk. Helen Heneghan Way, a known male acted disorderly after being advised to stop. Charges are forthcoming. Incident reported: 03/24/26.
Unit Blk. Maryland Avenue, the victim reported theft of packages. Incident reported: 3/24/26.
1900 Blk. Henry Road, an unknown subject defrauded the victim out of personal funds on 3/17/26. Incident reported: 3/24/26.
800 Blk. Baltimore Road, three unknown males robbed the victim of cash and personal property at approx. 6:50 a.m. on 3/25/26.
400 Blk. Hungerford Drive, an unknown subject stole the catalytic converter from the victim’s commercial vehicle between 3/20/26 and 3/25/26.
1500 Blk. Rockville Pike, two unknown subjects stole merchandise from a business at approx. 8:30 p.m. on 3/25/26.
1300 Blk. E. Gude Drive, an unknown subject broke the lock and stole personal property from the victim’s storage unit between 11:00 a.m. on 3/22/26 and 10:00 a.m. on 3/26/26.
100 Blk. E. Argyle Street, a known male assaulted a family member on 3/23/26. Incident reported: 3/26/26.
600 Blk. Blandford Street, three unknown subjects knocked on the door of the victim’s residence looking for someone and when told that person didn’t live there, assaulted the victim at approx. 2:00 a.m. on 3/26/26.
Unit Blk. Courthouse Square, an unknown subject forged a counterfeit check and withdrew funds from the victim’s checking account at 10:55 p.m. on 3/27/26.
100 Blk. Halpine Road. a known male subject damaged property at 2:00 p.m. on 3/28/26. The victim was referred for charges.
1600 Blk. Rockville Pike, an unknown female stole merchandise from a business at 5:35 p.m. on 3/28/26. The subject was described as: a black female wearing blue jeans, a black long-sleeved top with a pink puffy vest, a red baseball cap, and white sneakers.
1600 Blk. Rockville Pike, two unknown males stole merchandise from a business at 8:30 p.m. on 3/28/26. The subjects were described as: two black males, one wearing a black top with gray pants and the other wearing a green top and a black ski mask.
1100 Blk. Veirs Mill Road, a known male assaulted a family member and became disorderly and destroyed property when officers attempted to arrest him at 4:30 p.m. on 3/29/26. Charges are forthcoming.
1100 Blk. Veirs Mill Road, an unknown subject stole personal property from the victim’s front yard between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on 3/30/26.
1100 Blk. Edmonston Drive, an unknown suspect attempted to steal a 2015 Kia Soul by breaking the window and damaging the stearing column between 9:30 p.m. on 3/29/26 and 9:15 a.m. on 3/30/26.
800 Blk. Monroe Street, an unknown male assaulted the victim at 9:30 p.m. on 3/29/26.
100 Blk. Monroe Street, an unknown subject contacted the victim through a friends hacked email and the victim was scammed into sending gift cards at 8:45 p.m. on 3/30/26.
