WEST OCEAN CITY — Worcester County police this week are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspects wanted in connection with a theft from a West Ocean City gym’s ladies’ locker room and subsequent use of a bank card at a nearby bank.
On Aug. 25, Maryland State Police troopers responded to the Powerhouse Gym in West Ocean City for a reported theft from the ladies’ locker room. Surveillance images were captured showing the suspects using the victim’s bank card at a neighboring PNC Bank branch.
The Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) has taken over the investigation and this week appealed to the public with help in identifying the suspects seen in the surveillance pictures. Anyone with information about the case or the identity of the suspects is urged to contact investigator Tfc. R. Keidel at 410-632-1111 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. Crime Solvers may offer a reward of up to $1,000 for tips and information leading to the arrests of the suspects.
Heroin In Swiped Vehicle
BERLIN — A Berlin man was arrested late last month after allegedly swiping a vehicle belonging to his mother before getting pulled over and found with drugs in the vehicle.
Around 12:20 p.m. on Aug. 31, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Beauchamp Rd. in reference to a reported unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. A deputy learned from the complainant that her son, identified as Curtis James Adkins, 28, of Berlin, had taken her vehicle without her permission.
During the investigation, the deputy was able to locate the stolen vehicle in the Berlin area. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and identified Adkins as the driver. A K-9 scan was requested and the K-9 alerted positively for controlled dangerous substances. During a subsequent search, heroin and two unidentified pills were found in the vehicle. Adkins was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of heroin. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered to be held on a $3,000 bond.
Driving Way Way On
Highway Leads To Arrest
SNOW HILL — A Snow Hill man was arrested on drunk-driving and other charges last week after allegedly driving the wrong way on Route 113 and driving through a yard to his residence.
Around 9 p.m. last Thursday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was heading south on Route 113 and observed a vehicle traveling north on the southbound shoulder. The deputy has to travel north to a turnaround area and by the time the officer did that, the driver, identified as Jason Lynch, 35, of Snow Hill, had driven the vehicle to a yard in the rear of a residence on Route 113.
The deputy shined his spotlight on the vehicle and saw Lynch flee in the vehicle to the rear yard of the residence. The deputy drove to the house and discovered Lynch attempting to leave the vehicle. When the officer asked Lynch what he was doing, he noticed Lynch had difficulty maintaining his balance and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. He was then arrested with driving under the influence and driving while impaired.
Traffic Stop Nets Heroin Bust
BISHOPVILLE — An Ocean Pines man was arrested on drunk-driving and drug possession charges last week after getting pulled over for speeding in the Bishopville area.
Around 12:45 p.m. last Sunday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle for going 76 mph in a 55 mph zone on Route 113 in the area of Peerless Rd. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Heston Lee Medderick, 45, of Ocean Pines, and detected an odor of alcoholic beverage from the suspect’s breath and person.
Mederrick refused to submit to field sobriety tests and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. A search of the vehicle produced heroin and paraphernalia. Medderick was arrested for driving under the influence, possession of heroin and possession of paraphernalia. He was also issued citations for DUI, speeding and other traffic offenses.
Brass Knuckles Found
BERLIN — A Pocomoke man was arrested on carrying a concealed deadly weapon and drug charges last week after a vehicle in which he was a passenger was pulled over for speeding in Berlin.
Around 10:30 p.m. last Friday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy on routine patrol in the area of Harrison Rd. and Dinges Rd. in Berlin pulled over a vehicle for going 51 mph in a 30 mph zone. The driver was identified as Shakeisa Sample, 32, while the front seat passenger was identified as Bryan West, 29, and the rear seat passenger was identified as Dashawn Ballard, 19, of Pocomoke. The deputy detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and a search revealed suspected weed in West’s backpack. West was placed under arrest for possession.
While searching Ballard, the deputy found gold brass knuckles located in the suspect’s front pocket. The deputy also found marijuana in a backpack on the back seat, which Ballard clamed was his. Ballard was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon and possession of marijuana. The driver was issued a written warning for the speeding violation.
IRS Scam Warning
SNOW HILL — The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office this week is alerting county residents of a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers across the country that has made its appearance in the local area in recent weeks.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued the warning nationwide for the scam that has recently popped up in the Worcester County area. According to the IRS release, victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many reported cases, the caller has become hostile and insulting.
“This scam has hit taxpayers in nearly every state in the country,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel. “We want to educate taxpayers so they can help protect themselves. Rest assured, we do not and will not ask for credit card numbers over the phone, nor request a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and threatens police arrest, deportation or license revocation if you don’t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really isn’t the IRS calling.”
Werfel said the first IRS contact with taxpayers on a tax issue is likely to occur via mail. In another characteristic of the scam, the callers will use fake names and IRS badge numbers and they generally use common names and surnames to identify themselves. Scammers will also often be able to identify the last four numbers of a potential victim’s Social Security number.
The scammers have been able to spoof the IRS toll-free number on caller ID to make it appear it is the actual IRS calling. In some cases, the scammers are able to send bogus IRS emails to victims to set up the phony calls. In other cases, the victims have heard background noise of others calls being conducted to mimic the sounds of a busy call site.
Anyone who gets a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the IRS is instructed on a variety of ways to respond. For example, anyone who knows they owe back taxes or suspects they might have a tax problem is urged to call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Real IRS employees will be able to answer questions and make arrangements to resolve the issues.
Anyone that receives a call from a scammer and knows he or she does not have a tax problem is urged to call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484. Taxpayers should also be aware there are other unrelated scams, such as lottery sweepstakes, or solicitations, such as debt relief offers, currently ongoing that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.
Finally, the IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication such as text messages or social media channels. The IRS does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit cards, bank accounts or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in an email message. Instead, forward the suspicious email to [email protected]. The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the e-mail to [email protected].
The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the e-mail to [email protected].
Arrest After Crash
BERLIN — A Salisbury man was arrested on drunk-driving charges last weekend after allegedly crashing his car into a ditch along Libertytown Rd. last Saturday night.
Around 10:15 p.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers were dispatched to the area of Libertytown Rd. near Narrow Branch Rd. in Berlin for a reported single-vehicle accident. Troopers arrived and found a 2005 GMC Yukon in a ditch along the roadside. The investigation revealed the driver, identified as Ernest William Moore, Jr., 63, of Salisbury, had lost control, left the roadway and crashed into a ditch.
Troopers suspected Moore was under the influence of alcohol and he was put through a series of roadside sobriety tests before being placed under arrest for DUI. Moore refused to submit to an evidentiary breath test.