Maryland teen arrested for breaking into 121 cars quickly released from custody

A Maryland teen who allegedly broke into 121 cars in a single night was released within five hours of his arrest and local authorities say they are furious because the state considers the crimes to be “lower level,” so consequences are not expected.

The unidentified 16-year-old boy was arrested last week by the Laurel Police Department after it received multiple reports of break-ins on May 4. 

The crimes took place in Laurel and nearby Howard County. Surveillance footage captured three teens roving around in a stolen car and smashing the windows of vehicles they came across, police said.

“I have little hope there will be further accountability for him due to this broken system,” Laurel Police Chief Russ Hamill told reporters. “Due to this gap in concern for his safety, and the public’s safety.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the police department. 

At the teen suspect’s home, authorities found nearly 20 sets of car keys, credit cards, and other evidence that linked him to the car break-ins, Hamill said. 

Since the teen didn’t have a criminal record, the state Department of Juvenile Services characterized the offenses as lower-level crimes and allowed him to be released, Hamill said. 

“I would offer well over 100 cases in one night, gives you a pretty good record,” Hamill said. “These were not violent crimes, as if that lessens the impact on those 121 victims.”

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“Yes, five hours after we were at his house, he was released back into the community, back into the environment that allowed him to be out roaming the streets in all of these counties, late at night and in the early morning, doing these crimes to begin with,” he added. 

Two other teens have been identified as the suspect’s accomplices, Hamill said, adding that they were expected to be arrested soon.

“People need to be held accountable for this,” he said. 

The night after the teen was released, there were reports of 17 car break-ins, Hamill said, though he stopped short of blaming them on the suspect.

“We’re not going to lay every theft from auto in the region on him and his group, but I will note we had 17 the next night,” Hamill said.