Howard County, Maryland, investigators have recovered approximately 15,000 stolen construction tools thanks to an AirTag device tracker. Officials announced the recovery in a May 23 news conference. The tools are believed to have been stolen from retail stores, businesses, vehicles, residential properties, and construction sites.
Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der announced the preliminary outcome of the investigation. Der described it as “one of the largest theft cases not only in Howard County but in this region.” The stolen tools greatly impacted many victims, incredibly individual contractors “who have lost work because of their tools.”
“This case sends a clear message: we will not tolerate criminal enterprises operating here in Howard County,” Der said. “I want to thank the detectives from our Special Investigations Division and all the officers who have helped on this enormous and unprecedented case. They have put in thousands of hours and have many more ahead of them. They will see it through to the end.”
Following the initial discovery, detectives carried out search warrants at 12 locations, 11 of which were in Howard County. They recovered around 15,000 stolen tools, a quarter of which were still new in their boxes. It’s believed the property was stolen from victims in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
The total value of the stolen tools is estimated at between $3 million and $5 million. The department has already identified more than 80 victims, but the investigative team thinks there could be hundreds more, if not thousands. The Howard County Police Department has set up an online form potential victims can use to recover their property.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said during the news conference that the investigation displays “the tenacity of our police department” in combating crime and protecting the county’s residents.
Officials urge anyone with information on the case to contact police at (410) 313-STOP (7867) or by email to HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.
