Bel Air town commissioner Hanley facing theft charges

Bel Air Town Commissioner Terry Hanley is facing theft charges after allegedly pocketing $5,000 following a business transaction at Ramsey Ford in Elkton, where he was a manager.

In February, someone purchased a vehicle from Ramsey Ford and traded in a 1997 Chevy Lumina. Hanley, who was manager at Ramsey Ford at the time, handled the transaction, according to charging documents in Cecil County District Court in Elkton.

The customer gave Hanley $14,500 cash and Hanley gave Ramsey Ford $9,500 in cash, allegedly after he overinflated the trade-in value of the Lumina to $7,320.38 from its $2,000 value, according to charging documents. Hanley then tried to sell the Lumina to a wholesaler.

Management at Ramsey Ford started asking Hanley questions when they noticed the Lumina wasn't on the dealer's lot and, according to charging documents, became suspicious that it was short $5,000 on the cash deposit.

Ramsey Ford told police about the missing $5,000 on June 14 and, the next day, Hanley provided the business with a personal check for $3,500, according to charging documents.

Ramsey Ford then withheld a check that was due to Hanley for $1,600.

Mark Hyman, part owner of the business, told police Hanley admitted to taking the money, according to charging documents.

When an investigator with Maryland State Police spoke with Hanley, Hanley said the exchange was common practice and in the customer's best interest, according to charging documents.

Hanley told the investigator he held the$5,000 because he was waiting to sell the traded vehicle to Roy Ross and give Ross the $5,000 in exchange for $2,300, according to charging documents. The investigator said he advised Hanley the explanation "didn't make sense," according to charging documents.

Hanley then explained the customer initially bought a Ford Focus, but then wanted a Fusion and that the business manager and used car manager at Ramsey Ford knew about the deal and where the money was, according to charging documents.

The investigator told Hanley repaying the money with a personal check and handing in his resignation seemed an awareness of guilt, according to charging documents.

Hanley again told the investigator he didn't feel the actions were wrong because it was common practice, but was sorry for what happened because Hyman was a close friend, according to charging documents.

Despite money being returned, the investigator believed there to be enough probable cause that a theft occurred and on Sept. 7, and Hanley was charged by criminal summons with theft between $1,000 and $10,000.

He was served the summons Monday, according to online court records.

Bel Air Mayor David Carey, chairman of the five-member Board of Town Commissioners, said Monday he believed other members of the board of commissioners were aware of the charges against Hanley.

"I'm sorry to see that it's happened, my thoughts are with Terry and his family and everybody deserves their day in court and he deserves his," Carey, a lawyer, said.

Carey said there is no action for the board to take at this time.

"It doesn't involve the town at all, they're just pending charges," Carey said.

Hanley, who now works at the Jones Junction auto dealerships in Fallston, declined to answer media inquiries following the regular Bel Air town meeting Monday. He had not returned telephone calls seeking comment as of 3 p.m. Tuesday.

He is scheduled to appear in Cecil County District Court at 1 p.m. Oct. 11.

Hanley was elected to the town commissioner board in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. A Republican, he lost a bid for a seat on the Harford County Council in last year's primary election.