Police briefs

Friday, July 18, 2008

Three St. Mary’s men were arrested Wednesday and charged with stealing catalytic converters from vehicles. Following an investigation by St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations, James A. Tippett, 20, of Hollywood was charged with a theft scheme and seven counts of theft. Detectives also arrested Larry T. Stine Jr., 27, of Leonardtown and charged him with a theft scheme and eight counts of theft. John A. Frantz, 21, of Hollywood was charged with a theft scheme and two counts of theft.

The group allegedly stole catalytic converters and sometimes car batteries from unoccupied vehicles between June 1 and July 9 in locations from Charlotte Hall to California.

‘‘Anytime they had an opportunity with an unoccupied parked vehicle, they would do this,” Lt. Rick Burris said.

He said the thefts were ‘‘everywhere from a private residence to the park and ride in Charlotte Hall to store parking lots to Tom Hodges Auto” in Hollywood. ‘‘This is a new thing,” Hodges, owner of the sales lot and repair shop, said of the thefts.

He said between nine and 10 catalytic converters were stolen from his shop. ‘‘You just want to get that stuff stopped,” he said of the arrests. ‘‘It’s a real epidemic out there.”

Hodges said he would like to see salvage shops and others who purchase used converters required to take the name and other information from anyone selling the car parts.

Burris said typically in such thefts someone uses a saw to get the converter, part of a vehicle’s emission control system, off the bottom of the vehicle. The converters harbor precious metals, including platinum and rhodium, a rare metal that is a member of the platinum group.

Dozens of catalytic converter thefts have been reported in Calvert and Charles counties over the past year. Burris said there is no information at this time that the three arrested this week have any connection to thefts outside of St. Mary’s. The investigation is continuing, Burris said.

JESSE YEATMAN

Police allege drug activity at house

County narcotics investigators reported this week that a Lexington Park woman has been charged through a summons with maintaining a residence used for keeping and selling illegal drugs.

Lt. Daniel Alioto filed a charges application alleging that a raid last August at Patricia Kay Johnson’s home found marijuana, cocaine and a microwave oven with cocaine residue indicating the appliance was used to process the drug.

A raid at Johnson’s home last April found more cocaine and a digital scale, the application states, and her son was arrested.

A conviction for the misdemeanor charge obtained through the application carries a maximum sentence of two years in custody and a $100,000 fine.

JOHN WHARTON