Arrest Made In Mall Thefts

From the HoCo P.D.:

Howard County Police arrested an Owings Mills man for breaking into cars at the Columbia Mall and stealing Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Tony Brown, 37, of 951 Joshua Tree Ct., was apprehended yesterday after a witness reported seeing him break the window of a car in the parking lot.

Since Nov. 30, police have received 23 reports of GPS units and other property being stolen from cars at the mall. Brown has been charged in the two cases reported yesterday and is considered a suspect in the other cases while police continue to investigate.

The witness in yesterday’s case contacted police and provided the suspect’s vehicle description and tag number to officers. Police stopped the car, a black Honda Accord, on I-70 and saw multiple GPS units on the front passenger seat. It was later determined the property had been stolen from two different vehicles in the mall parking lot.

Brown has been charged with theft and destruction of property. Police are investigating Brown’s possible involvement in the other thefts at the mall, as well as in other local counties.