By Kenneth C. Rossignol
ST. MARY'S TODAY

CALIFORNIA --- Maryland State Police Leonardtown Barrack Commander Lt. Brian Cedar and St. Mary’s Sheriff Tim Cameron have big plans for those who want to steal Christmas presents from parked cars, break into stores or try to walk out of retail outlets without paying for electronic gear, as well as the party hardy crowd.

"We will have deputies and troopers out in force, working with all available vehicles including bike patrols starting this week," Lt. Cedar told ST. MARY’S TODAY. "We had our bikes tuned up this week and just when a culprit least expects it in a shopping center parking lot, our troopers are going to swoop down on them when they are in the act of breaking into parked cars or trying to swipe a purse and they are going to be caught."

With an attitude like that, its enough to make some would be evil-doers consider getting a job, but Cedar will settle for them moving to another state, if that what it takes, said the veteran state trooper, who has worked in virtually every facet of state police activities during his career.

Lt. Cedar has been a leading performer as a road trooper, making record numbers of drug arrests and snaring DWI drivers while on patrol; he has worked in vehicle theft interdiction where Maryland State Police intercede with organized gangs of thieves who rip off vehicles to fill custom orders of chop shops and for shipment of vehicles overseas; and also was assigned to narcotics investigations.

But now in command positions, Cedar gets a lot of satisfaction from being able to blend his training, his experience and his eagerness to serve the public with an opportunity to provide leadership for his troopers under his command.

Working with St. Mary’s Sheriff Tim Cameron, Cedar is able to find harmony between the agencies where they share resources and officers with their joint investigation teams on criminal investigations and narcotics.

Now at Christmas, the two law officers are also working together to stop drunk driving and thieve who hit stores, parking lots and other public gatherings where vehicles are targeted for expensive electronic gear.

"Without giving too much of our plans away," said Lt. Cedar, "we want to maintain a high visibility for the public but not let the perpetrators see us coming."

Between the two agencies, a band of local crackheads were nabbed in the past two weeks who have been stealing catalytic converters from vehicles as well as committing burglaries.

But as fast as the cops can lock them up, the court system rolls them right back out the next door.

A man tried to break into a home in Hollywood on Friday afternoon but was repelled by the homeowner. The man then went next door, according to Sheriff Cameron, and there he was greeted by the family’s pet pit bull, who barred the man from entrance. The man then stole a nearby truck and fled.

The large retail areas such as First Colony and San Souci are some of the areas which will find law officers deployed in various vehicles.

In Charles County Sheriff Rex Coffey has been setting up decoy targets to attract thieves such as a chainsaw left out on a truck near a Waldorf bowling alley and a dirtbike at the St. Charles Mall. When items are stolen, nearby detectives pluck the crooks and take them off to the slammer.

In Calvert County, police gave a very strong message last week to Washington area crimials: don’t steal here, we will get you.

The Southern Maryland retailers have been experiencing visits from gangs who arrive at electronic sections of stores, distract clerks and let some of their gang members grab high dollar items and take off.

Others simply use guns and hold up stores and banks.

In Prince Frederick last Wednesday, three men were allegedly trying to rip off a tv in the Prince Frederick Wal-Mart, were spotted and reported to police; a trooper attempted to pull them over and they took off back up Rt. 4 to the Washington area where they came from. When they got to Dunkirk they crashed, with one man dying in the process.

Darren D. McCoy, 39, of the 5400 block of Bladensburg Road, Bladensburg, Maryland, was taken to the Prince Frederick Barrack to be interviewed and processed. He was formally charged with negligent manslaughter, theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding police, reckless driving, negligent driving and other traffic charges. Additional charges are pending a Grand Jury review.

McCoy was subsequently taken before a Calvert County District Court Commissioner for an initial appearance. He was later held on a bond status, and incarcerated at the Calvert County Detention Center.

Charles A. Hawkins, 43, of Riverdale, Maryland, died in the crash. A second passenger has been identified as Juan F. Canales, 20, of Hyattsville, Maryland. He remains at Prince George’s County Hospital listed in critical condition.