Police Beat for August 28

Millersville

Porch fire

A family of five was able to escape their burning Millersville home Thursday morning after a neighbor noticed the blaze and called for help, county Fire Department officials said.

At just before 1:15 a.m., a neighbor saw a glow coming from next door in the 8300 block of Gartelman Farm Drive near Old Mill Road, said Lt. Frank Fennell, a county Fire Department spokesman.

The neighbor ran outside his home to his neighbors' house, and quickly woke a man, woman and three children who were sleeping inside.

The family escaped unharmed, and 22 firefighters got the flames under control within 40 minutes.

The fire started on the back deck, and did not get inside the home, Lt. Fennell said. The blaze was caused by a cigarette that had been thrown in a wooden planter attached to the porch.

The flames caused $15,000 in damages to the outside of the home, but did not displace the family.

Severna Park

Burglary

More than $25,800 worth of jewelry was stolen from a Severna Park home over the weekend, county police said.

A 48-year-old woman told police she and her boyfriend had spent the weekend on their boat and returned home on Arundel Beach Road Sunday evening.

When they awoke Monday morning, they realized clothing in their bedroom seemed out of place. They looked around and saw their master bedroom closet door, which had been locked over the weekend, had been kicked open and the woman's jewelry safe was ransacked.

Items stolen include a $6,500 diamond tennis bracelet, a 14-carat gold pendant with three diamonds, an 18-carat diamond ring with seven rubies, a pair of 14-carat ruby and diamond earrings, and a pair of 14-carat diamond cluster earrings.