Brother Convicted Of OC Burglaries

SNOW HILL - The second of two brothers arrested last October after resort police connected them to a series of marina burglaries in the downtown area pleaded guilty this week to second-degree burglary and was sentenced to seven years in jail, all of which was suspended by 18 months, and was fined and forced to pay restitution to one of the victims.

Frank William Sickler, 35, of Prince William County, Va., appeared in Circuit Court on Tuesday to face burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property charges. Sickler and his brother, Robert James Sickler, 37, of Ocean City, were arrested in October after OCPD investigators were able to connect the pair to a series of break-ins at downtown marina businesses including the Angler Restaurant, M.R. Ducks, and Bahama Mama's.

Frank Sickler on Tuesday pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary and was sentenced to seven years in jail with all but 18 months suspended. He was also fined and ordered to pay over $1,800 in restitution to the owners of the Angler. Earlier this year, Robert Sickler also pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary and was sentenced to two years in jail with all but six months suspended and was ordered to pay around $2,500 in restitution to the various victims.

In early September, 2008, OCPD detectives began investigating three commercial burglaries and one attempted burglary at waterfront businesses in the marina area between Talbot and Wicomico streets. According to police reports, the outside bar at the Angler Restaurant and the deck bar at M.R. Ducks, both on the water at the foot of Talbot Street, along with the outside bar at Bahama Mama's on Wicomico Street, were all burglarized between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Sept. 8.

While investigating the thefts at the Angler and M.R. Ducks, detectives discovered the suspect or suspects had also attempted to break into the Marina Deck restaurant next door but were unsuccessful. According to police reports, the cash registers at all three burglarized businesses had been pried open in a similar manner although it is uncertain how much money was removed.

OCPD detectives were able to recover video surveillance tapes from the Angler showing the two suspects enter the business and go behind the outside bar. According to police reports, the turning point in the investigation occurred when several local news media outlets showed the recovered surveillance video of the two suspects committing the burglaries and police received information from local citizens about the possible suspects, later identified as Robert and Frank Sickler.

Investigators were able to locate Robert Strickler in the resort and he was taken into custody. Frank Sickler was later picked up on a warrant in Virginia and returned to Worcester County.