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Serial burglar linked to three crimes, possibly more as homeowner recognizes suspect from attempted break-in

Provided by (from left to right): Howard County PD, Michelle Claiborne, Anne Arundel County PD

A serial burglar linked to three crimes in Howard and Anne Arunel counties could be linked to more in our area.

By: Blair Sabol

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CATONSVILLE, Md. — Months before a series of home burglaries were reported in two separate counties this month, a homeowner in Catonsville said she spotted the same woman attempting the same crime at her house.

“I was more in shock. I grew up in this neighborhood and never expected something like that to happen,” Michelle Claiborne said. “I feel violated in a way.”

Watch as law enforcement describes the serial burglar linked to crimes across the region

Serial burglar linked to three crimes, possibly more

In late May, Claiborne watched through her security cameras as the woman rang her front doorbell, and then made her way to the backyard where she put on medical gloves.

“I realized she's about to try to break into my house,” Claiborne recalls.

She called police and immediately came home to find the woman had failed to break- in or steal anything but still left $3,500 in damages.

Attempted break in Catonsville — The attempted burglar left behind a broken window and a bloody glove but did not appear to make it inside.

“These are old windows. She busted one, obviously cut herself. There was some blood on the glass, and then she had left the bloody gloves down here on the ground and the next thing I know I see a video of her running to the car,” Claiborne explained.

It appeared the woman had a getaway driver as well.

It wasn’t until months later when Claiborne says she saw the same woman, only this time successfully breaking into an Ellicott City home.

Howard County Police shared surveillance video from two homes, one on Kerger Road and the other on Blue Hill Court, after the same woman was linked to the burglaries. She was also linked to a burglary in Severna Park according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

One in Ellicott City took place on September 10, the other two a week later on September 17.

“These crimes have no borders,” HCPD public information officer Seth Hoffman said. “At this point we know that they're seeking obviously goods that have some value to them, so we have a couple laptops stolen in one case and then a security camera actually in the other case.”

Baltimore County police have been notified but have not confirmed if Claiborne's case is connected to the others.

There may be another possible connection on the Eastern Shore, where a woman allegedly broke a window and took cash from inside a Kent Island home in March.

WMAR-2 News reached out to Queen Anne's County Office of the Sheriff, which is now investigating if it is indeed the same woman.

No arrests have been made in that case nor in Claiborne's.

“I can't believe she's been getting away with it this long, talking months, so it's just crazy that they can't catch her,” she said.

Claiborne is not sure if it was her three dogs or that the woman injured herself that left her one of the lucky ones.

But she says, she wants her caught, everything taken returned and money reimbursed for the damage caused.