Jail, Restitution For Resort Burglar

OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City man, arrested in December after police were able to connect him to a residential burglary, was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in jail, all but three of which were suspended, and was ordered to pay roughly $2,200 to his victims.

In June, Matthew Gruber, 30, of Ocean City pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary for a break-in at his neighbor’s residence. Back in court on Wednesday, he was also placed on supervised probation for five years upon his release.

On Dec. 10, police responded to a reported theft from a motor vehicle on Sea Lane. Responding officers met with the victim, who told police an unknown suspect had broken into his truck parked in his driveway and had stolen numerous pieces of jewelry kept in a clear plastic box. The stolen box included various rings, necklaces and pendants with a total value of over $3,500.

On the same day, Ocean City police responded to another reported vehicle break-in near 114th Street during which some change and other property was stolen. During yet another vehicle break-in investigated on the same day, a different victim reported his Jeep had been broken into and numerous items were stolen including a GPS device, a radar detector, a cellphone charger, a Wal-Mart bag containing two quarts of oil and a Fager’s Island bag containing a sweatshirt.

While the investigation into the vehicle break-ins was ongoing, police responded to a reported burglary on Oyster Lane around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 13. Officers met with a witness, later identified as Gruber, who lived next door to the burglarized residence. Gruber told police his dog had run over to the neighbor’s back porch and began barking. Gruber told police he observed what appeared to be flashlights inside the residence.

Gruber then told police he observed two males in black, hooded sweatshirts flee the residence and run between the two houses. However, according to police reports, Gruber changed his story several times while speaking with the officers.

Ocean City Police obtained a search-and-seizure warrant for Gruber and his residence and vehicle and he was found to be in possession of a stolen ring and bracelet in his pocket. In Gruber’s vehicle was the stolen GPS, radar detector and other property.

During a post-arrest interview, Gruber admitted to the vehicle break-ins and the burglary at the residence on Oyster Lane.