Woman charged in attempted theft
A Prince George's County woman has been charged with trying to steal a car by fraudulently seeking to get a spare key made, Annapolis police said.
Jeannene Christina Stokes, 34, of Lanham stopped at the Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis dealership at 1920 Forest Drive on March 6 to ask for a duplicate key for a car she said was hers, police said. She said she would have her husband pick the key up later. The employee, suspicious of the registration card she presented, let her leave but called police. The registration card had indeed been forged or altered, police said.
Police said the woman returned to the dealership about 5 p.m. Monday, and a detective waiting recovered documents in her car showing she used aliases.
Police said Stokes admitted to trying to obtain the key in a fraudulent manner and said that a man would pay her $1,000 to get the key.
She was arrested and charged with attempted theft, forgery and other related offense and is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center on $1 million bond.
The investigation is continuing, as other agencies have reported that a car theft ring is using this same ruse to get keys for vehicles that they later steal, authorities said.
Man charged in as sault of girlfriend
Annapolis police have arrested a 24-year-old man who is accused of beating his girlfriend when she tried to leave him.
The victim told police that she had tried to move out on Saturday morning, but he assaulted her and for the next 16 hours, the man physically restrained her each time she approached the door. Police said he slammed her head into the floor, snatched her car keys and cell phone and pulled off her pants in an effort to keep her from stepping outside. She was able to send a text message to her mother seeking help, and officers arrived early Sunday.
The man, whose identity was withheld to protect the victim, was arrested and charged with assault, false imprisonment and related offenses. He is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center in lieu of a $100,000 bond.