Wednesday, March 12 - OCPD Nabs Three in Liquor Store Break-Ins

OCEAN CITY- Three Howard County people including two juveniles this week were charged in connection with a string of commercial burglaries at several businesses in Ocean City in early February.

Max Malamphy, 20, of Ellicott City, along with two juveniles, was charged this week with three counts of burglary and nine counts of malicious destruction of property after the Ocean City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division was able to connect the trio to several beer and wine store break-ins over a 24-hour period beginning on February 10.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on February 10, OCPD officers were called to Brewski Brothers on Coastal Highway at 133^rd Street for a reported burglary. Witnesses told police three men broke into the store by throwing a trash can through the front door. The suspects stole nearly $500 in cigarettes as well as a small amount of cash.

Around 10 a.m. that morning, OCPD officers were called to the Big Tuna Grille on 128^th Street for a similar burglary. In that case, police discovered a suspect or suspects had thrown a large rock through the front door to gain entry. The suspects stole 32 bottles of liquor, three cases of beer and cash. The loss totaled around $2,300.

With two similar cases already under investigation, OCPD officers began searching other businesses in the area and discovered the Gold Coast Beer and Wine store had also been burglarized. The suspects threw a chair through the front door to gain access and stole a lap-top computer, cigarettes, cigars and an I-pod totaling $3,000.

OCPD detectives were able to pin the break-ins on Malamphy and the two juveniles after discovering pictures of the three individuals possessing several of the stolen objects including considerable amounts of liquor and cigarettes.

For more details on this story and all of this week's local news, see Friday's print and on-line editions of The Dispatch.