OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on armed robbery, burglary and assault charges last weekend after getting caught breaking into a downtown residence and being found in possession of numerous stolen items and cash from a series of break-ins.
Around 5:40 a.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police were canvassing the area around 12th and 13th streets for a suspect wanted in connection with a serious of residential burglaries. One of the victims assisted the police by tracking her roommate’s stolen iPhone to the area of 13th Street. OCPD officers responded and observed a suspect matching the description provided in front of a residence on 13th Street near Dayton Lane.
The officers observed Darren Moore, 20, of Elverson, Pa., attempting to open a window above an air conditioner. The officers observed Moore allegedly cut the window screen with a knife in an attempt to gain entry to the unit. Around the same time, an occupant of the residence opened the front door after hearing Moore allegedly cutting the screen. Police then met with another resident of the building who said her front door screen had been cut and it wasn’t in that condition earlier.
The officers met with yet another victim who told police he had been awakened by a loud bang and it was determined to be likely caused by Moore attempting to break down the front door. That victim told police he was renting the unit with a group of friends for a weekend bachelor party. The officers questioned the other men in the group to determine what had been stolen. The investigation revealed a 30-pack of beer, around $300 in cash and a white iPhone had been stolen.
About an hour later, OCPD officers met with residents in another nearby building who reported they had also been burglarized. The victims told police a suspect matching Moore’s description had entered their unit and stole a cooler, alcohol, a key, a cell phone and cash from inside their unit.
A female victim in that burglary told police a suspect matching Moore’s description had climbed into her bed and attempted to lay with her. When she woke up, the suspect was kissing her neck. The victim realized what was happening and yelled at the suspect to stop touching her and leave. The victims in that incident were taken to the area where Moore had been detained and positively identified him as the suspect.
Finally, yet another victim from a residence on 12th Street came forward and reported a burglary during which a 30-pack of beer, a white cell phone and a small amount of Canadian currency had been stolen. Based on all of the evidence, Moore was arrested and charged with armed robbery, burglary, theft and other counts.
A search incident to the arrest revealed a laundry list of items and money stolen from the three separate residential burglaries. For example, according to police reports, Moore had large amounts of cash in each of his socks and pants pockets, two white iPhones, which were identified by the various victims, a gold Michael Kors watch and other jewelry, and oddly, one bag of Sour Patch Kids, one bag of Mike and Ike’s and one pack of Dutch Masters cigars.
OCPD officers also fanned out in the area of the path Moore allegedly took while committing the burglaries and found numerous other items reported stolen including a cooler containing various alcohol, a bag of clothes, another iPhone, a bottle of cologne and a 30-pack of beer. The victims were all brought over to claim the various items that had been stolen from them. Moore was charged with 17 total counts including armed robbery, burglary, assault, theft and malicious destruction of property. After a bail review hearing on Monday, Moore was ordered to be held on a $125,000 bond.
