A 28-year-old Baltimore man pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing more than $7,000 in cash, jewelry and electronic equipment from a Sykesville home in July.

Carroll Circuit Judge Francis M. Arnold sentenced the defendant, Earl Wade Branham, to 10 years in state prison, but suspended half of the sentence and ordered Branham to pay restitution to the victim within five years after release from prison.

Branham pleaded guilty to a charge of daytime housebreaking in a plea bargain with prosecutors, who agreed to drop several other charges.

According to court records, Branham entered a home in the 6300 block of Church St. through an unlocked bedroom window July 18. He stole a television, a videocassette recorder, jewelry and $3,000 in cash.

Branham was arrested in August after state police identified him through fingerprints he left throughout the house.

FIRE

* Gamber: Gamber responded for a woods fire in the 4600 block of Joy Drive at 5:43 p.m. Sunday. Units were out for 31 minutes.

* Sykesville: Sykesville responded for a brush fire at Cooper Drive and Route 32 at 2:52 p.m. Sunday. Units were out for one hour.