Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Howard County.

Ellicott City-Elkridge

Ellicott City: An intruder broke through the screen door of a home in the 6400 block of Summer Cloud Way on Sunday or Monday and stole $40 from a purse in the dining room.

Ellicott City: A thief broke into a house in the 12300 block of Benson Branch Road on Monday, cut the phone line, and stole jewelry and coins from a safe.

Ellicott City: Two thieves stole five windows valued at $1,000 Friday from a house under construction on Cross Country Drive.

East Columbia

Kings Contrivance: A robber approached a man closing a business in the 9300 block of Snowden River Parkway on Friday, forced him back into the business and stole money.

Owen Brown: An intruder broke into a business in the 9000 block of Mendenhall Court on Aug. 3 or Aug. 4 by breaking a window with a rock. A police scanner valued at $200 was stolen, and office doors were kicked in.

West Columbia

Wilde Lake: A cabdriver was sitting at the village center Saturday when two robbers wearing masks approached him. One robber implied that he had a gun, and the driver ran away. The men stole $22 from his ashtray.