A 17-year-old Westminster youth has been released on

$36,000 bail to face charges tied to 18 house break-ins allegedly committed with his cousin last summer in central Carroll County.

Raymond Lee Derita, who will be 18 Tuesday, and cousin Jerry Derita, 17, both of the first block of Sycamore St., were charged with breaking into homes between Westminster and Taneytown and north to the Pennsylvania line from June to August.

Both were originally charged as juveniles, but their cases were waived to Carroll District Court, where they were charged as adults.

State police said jewelry, weapons, appliances, electronic equipment and some cash were stolen from the houses.

Most of the houses were burglarized during the day when the occupants were gone.

Investigators said many of the stolen items were recovered in August, when they served a search warrant at the home of the two cousins and another warrant at a house on the same street.

Jerry Derita and another relative, Dominick Derita, were arrested in November. Dominick Derita, 18, is charged in some of the burglaries.

Raymond Derita was arrested and charged in December.