A Columbia man was sentenced to nine years in prison Monday following a series of apartment and condominium laundry room burglaries that resulted in losses and damages of several thousand dollars.
Mark Eugene Jones, 45, entered guilty pleas to second-degree burglaries of coin-operated equipment in two condominium buildings located in the 10000 block of Twin Rivers Road and the 10000 block of Cross Fox Lane.
According to Howard County Assistant State's Attorney Natasha Byus, the burglaries occurred in late July when residents discovered damaged laundry machines and missing coins.
A police detective discovered a number of large redemptions of quarters at Coinstar coin counting machines located at Columbia area Walmart and Safeway stores. Video surveillance then led police to develop Jones as a possible suspect.
In both cases, police were able to lift fingerprints that were identified as belonging to Jones, along with red threads matching a red towel in Jones' possession when he was questioned by police in front of an apartment complex on July 31, police said. Jones consented to a search and police discovered over $300 in quarters and other coins in his pockets, along with $186 in paper currency, a pair of Vice-Grip pliers and three screwdrivers.
Judge Louise Scrivener sentenced Jones to nine years in prison for the burglary of the condominium on Cross Fox Lane and a six-year suspended sentence, to be served consecutively, for the burglary on Twin RIvers Road.
Upon Jones' release, he will be placed on two-years probation and pay $4,500 restitution to Coinmach, operators of the laundry machines. As part of the plea agreement, two additional cases against Jones in relation to the thefts were dropped, according to the State's Attorney's Office.