Police Beat for March 14

Expensive jeans

Two Annapolis residents were arrested Friday after police said one of them threw a pair of jeans containing $10,000 worth of crack cocaine out a window while a home he was in was being searched.

Officers were executing a search and seizure warrant on the home on Medgar Evers Street at about 5 a.m. While there, officers saw a pair of pants fly out an upstairs window. Two people were inside the home, including the owner of the pants, police said.

Police also found 57 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of nearly $6,000 and 85.9 grams of marijuana with a street value of nearly $2,000 inside the home.

Tavon Antonio Saunders, 22, of Peale Court, and Shaneice Chantal Crowdy, 21, of Medgar Evers Street, were both charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in a large amount and related charges, police said.

Armed robbery

A pizza delivery man was robbed at gunpoint in the Annapolis Overlook neighborhood late Wednesday night.

At just after 11 p.m. police were called to Greystone Court, where the victim told police he was approached by two masked men as he walked back to his car following a delivery.

They pointed a gun at him, demanded money and then began punching him in the face. After taking $80 in cash, the two suspects ran off, but then returned to take the victim's car keys and a white duffle bag from his car.

An investigation is continuing.

Store burglary

Someone broke into a West Annapolis jewelry store early Thursday morning and made off with the cash register.

Police were called to Tiger's Eye Fine Jewelry in the 100 block of Annapolis Street after the store's alarm was triggered around 1:38 a.m.

They found the window had been smashed with a rock and the perpetrator damaged a table and other items before making off with the store's cash register, police said. Total loss was estimated at $1,068.

Fingerprints were found and the store's surveillance camera tape is being processed as the investigation continues.

Movies stolen

Roughly 40 children's movies valued at more than $1,000 were stolen from the Toys "R" Us in Parole on Tuesday, county police said.

A manager told officers that a man entered the store around 9:30 a.m. and went to the movie aisle to load his shopping cart with DVDs and Blu-ray movies.

The man put the movies into two shopping bags and ran toward the exit, police said. The manager asked the man to show the purchase receipt, but he refused to stop and left the store.

The man ran toward Defense Highway. It was unknown if a car was waiting. The movies were valued at $1,069 and another manager said this was the second time the man had stolen from the store, police said. Police are still investigating.

QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY

Infant death probed

Queen Anne's County sheriffs are investigating the Friday death of a 41/2-month-old infant.

Deputies were called to a residence on Main Street in Grasonville at about 10 a.m. for the report of an unresponsive baby. Paramedics rushed Alize Sharpe Sollas to Easton Memorial Hospital, but she was pronounced dead at 11:01 a.m.

Detectives from the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office and an investigator from the Chief Medical Examiner's Office responded to the home as well as the hospital in an attempt to find the cause of death. The investigation continues.

CROWNSVILLE

Elderly theft

A warrant has been issued for a Texas woman who is believed to have stolen more than $40,000 worth of items from a nursing home resident, county police said.

On Tuesday, Fayann Rowe went to the Court Commissioner's Office in Annapolis and applied for charges against Laurie Green, who she said stole her 82-year-old father's Mercedes-Benz, jewelry and financial documents.

Rowe told police that the 2006 vehicle was stolen from the Fairfield Nursing Center, which is located in the 1400 block of Fairfield Loop Road in Crownsville, sometime between 8 a.m. and noon March 4, police said.

Rowe also said that Green stole two of her father's rings, his keys, tax forms and other financial documents.

The Mercedes was later located at a parking garage at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Green's last known address is in Corpus Christi, Texas. Police are still investigating.

SOUTH COUNTY

Funeral traffic

County police will be assisting in directing traffic for a police officer's funeral tomorrow.

From 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., residents should use caution when driving in the area of Lakemont Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 900 W. Central Ave.

A large number of guests and dignitaries are expected to attend the funeral for Officer Thomas P. Jensen, a Prince George's County police officer who died in the line of duty.

Traffic going east on Route 214 will be diverted to the right shoulder with only one lane of traffic going east. Heading west on Route 214, traffic will be detoured from the intersection of Route 424, and drivers will be forced to turn right onto Route 424 north. They will then be allowed to turn left on Mount Airy Road, police said.

Drivers may incur significant delays and road closures during these hours, and the department is reminding everyone to remain patient. If possible, take alternate routes or avoid the area, police advised.

NORTH COUNTY

Terrorism drill

County and state officials will run a daylong terrorism training exercise today at the Cromwell Light Rail Station.

Operation Rescue on the Rails will involve 400 people from county agencies, the Maryland Transit Administration and Baltimore Washington Medical Center, according to county officials. It will test the response of emergency personnel and other agencies, and include volunteers in makeup playing the role of victims with injuries and fatalities.

"Simulated exercises such as this are invaluable training tools for first responders and supporting agencies," County Executive John R. Leopold said in a statement. "These types of exercises give personnel an opportunity to practice their emergency procedures and response plans, and make adjustments as needed."

The scenario for the exercise is that a terrorist threat has been made against a light rail train full of Baltimore Ravens fans leaving Cromwell Station on Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard at Dorsey Road for M&T Bank Stadium in downtown Baltimore.

The exercise will take place in the maintenance yard behind the station until 3 p.m. Neither the station nor any area roads will be closed, but the public is asked to avoid the area if possible.

Bank robbed

A man robbed a Glen Burnie credit union yesterday morning, county police said.

Officers were called to the Baltimore Washington Federal Credit Union on Hospital Drive at 11:35 a.m. Employees told police a black man, 6 feet tall with a thin build, came in carrying a small black bag, pulled out a knife and demanded money.

Employees complied and the man ran out of the bank toward Highland Drive, police said.

Officers and a K-9 unit were not able to find the man, who was wearing all black clothing. Anyone with information is asked to call county police at 410-222-8610.

Highway closed

An accident involving a tractor-trailer shut part of Ritchie Highway for several hours Friday, county firefighters said.

Lt. Stuart Peters, spokesman for the county Fire Department, said the truck hit a pole on Ritchie Highway near Furnace Branch Road about 2:30 p.m. No one was hurt in the accident, but the impact pulled down telephone wires, and police closed down one lane on the southbound side of the highway.

Traffic signals also were out for several hours at Route 10 and Furnace Branch Road, and at Ritchie and Furnace Branch. The cause of the accident is unknown.

Home break-in

Someone broke into a Pasadena home Tuesday and stole $2,500 worth of merchandise, county police said.

The resident told police that someone entered his apartment, which is located in the 8000 block of Dewberry Lane, sometime between 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Unknown suspects kicked in the front door and stole a 52-inch plasma television, a Sony PlayStation 3, an Xbox and a Wii system, police said. The front door had been completely broken away from the door frame and the deadbolt was in the locked position.

The resident told police that he previously had a party where one guest expressed a lot of interest in the television set and the Sony PlayStation. Police are still investigating.