One thief could be responsible for a four-month surge of evening residential burglaries, according to Howard County police.

Police said more than two dozen evening burglaries have occurred since November, including 12 last month. The crime wave began in west Columbia but has touched east Columbia, Ellicott City and Elkridge.

Police said they recognize a pattern in the crimes, both in the time they occur and the way they are carried out.

"They are peering in the house and seeing a purse or wallet on the kitchen counter," said Sgt. Morris Carroll, a police spokesman. "They are going in the residence through an unlocked garage door or back door."

If the doors are locked, the intruder usually breaks a door window to enter, Carroll said.

"The entire thing takes between 10 and 20 seconds," he said.

Most residential burglaries occur during the day, while businesses are robbed at night, Carroll said. But these break-ins usually occur after 11 p.m., police said.

No homeowner has confronted a thief, Carroll said.

Officials suspect the intruder is a Howard County resident whose motive is drug-related.

"They are keen on getting cash, which leads us to believe it is someone with a drug addiction," Carroll said.

Police do not have a description of the intruder, but said he usually uses bike paths to reach houses.

Pub Date: 3/07/99