WEST OCEAN CITY — Two West Ocean City men face burglary and other charges this week after allegedly breaking into the Captain’s Galley restaurant early Thanksgiving morning and swiping, among other things, 22 cases of beer, which ultimately led to their undoing.
Kenneth Webb Jr.
Around 6:45 a.m. last Thursday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Captain’s Galley restaurant along the commercial harbor in West Ocean City in response to an alarm. Deputies checked the property and discovered unknown suspects had gained entry to an outside cooler by breaking the lock. Once inside, the suspects removed roughly 22 cases of beer.
The suspects then went to the second floor of the restaurant and used a box cutter to cut through two vinyl windows of an outdoor tent that covered the second-floor deck. The suspects then used a chair to smash through a large window to gain access to the interior of the restaurant. Once inside, the suspects removed two cash registers and a bank bag containing an undisclosed amount of cash. In addition, the suspects damaged an interior office door in an attempt to gain entry.
Tony L. Childs
The Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) was contacted and responded to the restaurant. With the assistance of the Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies and interviews with local residents, WCBI investigators were able to identify the suspects as Kenneth Webb, Jr., 42; and Tony Leonard Childs, 28; both of West Ocean City.
Witnesses observed Webb and Childs making multiple trips to and from the restaurant carrying cases of beer. Webb and Childs took the beer to a residence on nearby Swordfish Drive and left the area. The occupants allowed investigators to enter the home, where the stolen beer was discovered.
A short time later, Webb and Childs returned home and were placed under arrest. Each was charged with second-degree burglary, theft from $1,000 to $10,000 and malicious destruction of property over $1,000. Each was taken before a District Court Commissioner and each was ordered to be held on a $25,000 bond. Preliminary hearings for both suspects have been set for Dec. 18.