A Montgomery County man was arrested and charged last week with numerous counts of vehicle theft and fraud since mid-March, Howard County police said Wednesday.
Colin James Woodrow, 22, of Gaithersburg, is charged with 35 counts of vehicle theft, theft, rogue and vagabond, credit card fraud and other related offenses, police said. Woodrow was arrested Friday and released on $5,000 bond Tuesday.
The Howard County Police Department began investigating April 30 when officers recovered a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Columbia on April 16. Police found several debit and credit cards, gift cards and other items inside the vehicle.
Officers linked the cards and items found inside the recovered vehicle to numerous thefts from vehicles in the county. Police believe Woodrow broke into vehicles and stole various items, then used the credit and debit cards he stole to make fraudulent purchases.
Police said they also connected Woodrow to two other vehicle thefts and found additional evidence of theft and credit card fraud in those vehicles.
Woodrow ultimately was charged with three vehicle thefts and 10 theft from vehicle counts around the county since March 14.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
The department also warned residents to not leave valuables in vehicles, including spare keys, which is how officers said the three vehicles were stolen.