Baltimore Crime Beat - baltimoresun.com

City prosecutors charge group tied to killing, shootings

By Justin Fenton , The Baltimore Sun — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:08:30 GMT

City police, DEA collaborate with investigation

When a relative of accused druglord Robert G. Moore was stabbed and killed during a robbery, authorities say, Moore vowed to avenge the death.

Baltimore heroin dealers sentenced in conspiracy

Tricia Bishop — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:03:00 GMT

Two 44-year-old city men were sentenced to federal prison Friday for taking part in a heroin conspiracy that spread into Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties, the Maryland U.S. attorney’s office announced.

Police: Man, 19, beaten by two groups of students downtown

By Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:35:00 GMT

A 19-year-old student from Baltimore Polytechnic High School told police he was beaten by two separate groups of juveniles from a rival school in downtown Baltimore on Thursday afternoon, an attack that comes amid a pitched debate over downtown safety.

Woman, 78, scared after two close to her are shot in Baltimore

By Justin Fenton , The Baltimore Sun — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:55:00 GMT

Police have said little of recent violence

There's a swirl of violence occurring around 78-year-old Florence Carter, and she says she doesn't know why. But for the first time in nearly five decades, she's being forced to contemplate moving out of her Northeast Baltimore home.

Bernstein to announce results of six-month investigation

By Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:48:00 GMT

Baltimore State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein will hold a news conference Friday morning to announce the results of a six-month investigation into an alleged murder and drug conspiracy, which sources say was touched off by the home invasion killing of a former high school wrestling standout.

DOJ seeks to tighten Baltimore policy on recording police

By Justin Fenton , The Baltimore Sun — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:55:39 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice isn't satisfied with the Baltimore Police Department's recently issued orders on the public's right to record officers.

Baltimore police officer charged with misconduct, perjury

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:01:00 GMT

A Baltimore police sergeant was suspended and criminally charged with perjury and misconduct after a months-long investigation into allegations he used false information to obtain a search and seizure warrant.

Two arrested in metal theft at closed state hospital

By Peter Hermann — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:30:00 GMT

A day after Baltimore County police set up a task force to target metal thieves who strip homes and businesses, tactical officers found themselves surrounding an abandoned state hospital building where two men were trying to steal copper pipes.

Man who shot police officer sentenced to 25 years

By Peter Hermann — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:46:00 GMT

A man who voiced contempt for Baltimore police and told defectives he had "no love lost" for the department was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for using a rifle to shoot an officer last year.

City cops testing new automatic rifle

By Peter Hermann — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:09:00 GMT

The Baltimore Sun's Gus Sentementes reports today on a Highlandtown company building a possible replacement rifle for the M4. The new gun could be used by the Army, as well as by municipal police in Baltimore .

Downtown mobs -- what police call routine others describe as scary

By Peter Hermann — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:25:00 GMT

There is a disconnect sometimes between what police see as normal and routine and what others view as scary.

Metal theft damages reach into the tens of thousands of dollars

By Peter Hermann — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:35:00 GMT

As discussed on Monday, Baltimore County police announced a task force to combat the growing problem of metals theft. The Sun's Arthur Hirsch writes about the new program, and some other unique ways to go after the thieves.

Baltimore County police form metal theft task force

By Peter Hermann — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:08:00 GMT

Baltimore County police are announcing today a new task force to combat the growing problem of metals theft that his hitting homeowners and businesses throughout the region.

Four dead in city on violent Mothers' Day

By Peter Hermann — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:17:00 GMT

Four people were killed in Baltimore on Sunday, a violentMother's Daythat started with a fatal stabbing in Park Heights and ended with a man shot and killed in East Baltimore.

Readers react to St. Patrick's Day violence

By Peter Hermann — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:23:00 GMT

Sunday's story on violence at St. Patrick's Day attracted many reactions. Most people writing me emails and in comments at the bottom story said the city had become scary. It's further proof of the uphill battle the city has trying to show improving crime numbers when one incident such as this can undermine the stats.

NIH employee guilty of theft

Tricia Bishop — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:01:00 GMT

A 32-year-old Germantown woman pleaded guilty Friday to using a government credit card for personal use, buying 119 iPads, a mattress set and house cleaning services, according to the Maryland U.S. attorney’s office.

Baltimore officer sentenced to federal prison

Tricia Bishop — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:29:00 GMT

A 10th Baltimore police officer was sentenced to federal prison Friday for taking kickbacks from an auto repair company, the Maryland U.S. attorney’s office announced.

Baltimore man sentenced for killing one girlfriend with another girlfriend's gun

By Tricia Bishop — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

A 31-year-old Baltimore man, who stole a gun from one girlfriend to murder another, was sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison Wednesday, the city prosecutors’ office announced.

Orioles bring on additional security for field trespassers

By Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:39:00 GMT

With the outfield at Oriole Park at Camden Yards turning into a track meet for trespassers, the team has decided to hire private security guards to augment the Baltimore Police officers working the game.

Polite bank robber sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

By Tricia Bishop — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:45:00 GMT

A 32-year-old Crofton man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Thursday for armed bank robbery, after holding up the same two M&T banks a total of five times and making off with more than $30,000, sometimes wishing the tellers a “nice day” on his way out, according to the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Howard County police seize 341 marijuana plants in Laurel

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:59:00 GMT

Police in Howard County say they busted a marijuana growing operation at a house in Laurel, seizing 341 plants that authorities estimate could yield 170 pounds of pot worth more than a half million dollars.

Police impersonators scam elderly man in Southwest Baltimore

By Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:15:00 GMT

The two well-dressed men arrived at the elderly man's Southwest Baltimore home in the morning, armed with a clipboard and searching for a woman who they said was wanted by authorities.

Employment discrimination lawsuit filed against city prosecutor's office

By Tricia Bishop — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:08:00 GMT

A 61-year-old white woman, who says she was wrongfully fired from the Baltimore prosecutors’ office after 25 years on the job, has filed an employment discrimination lawsuit alleging age, race and gender discrimination in the 2010 termination.

City charges whittled in videotaped beating case

By Tricia Bishop — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:03:00 GMT

Baltimore prosecutors have dropped half of the charges filed against four young people accused in a St. Patrick's Day attack on a tourist, whose brutal beating and robbery was videotaped and widely viewed online.

Police describe break-in at Waverly Y at Stadium Place

By Peter Hermann — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:17:00 GMT

Four young men broke into a community center at Stadium Place in Waverly early Tuesday and stole a 60-inch television, a portable oxygen tank and food, and also damaged a vending and bank machine, Baltimore police said Wednesday.