Police & Fire

Ellicott City Burglary Suspect Arrested in Columbia Dumpster

Police said a man believed to be involved in a string of Ellicott City cat burglaries was arrested after attempting to hide in a dumpster on Tamar Drive in Columbia.

By Andrew Metcalf
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January 10, 2013

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Cornelius McRae, 23, was arrested for his suspected involvement in a string of Ellicott City burglaries. Howard County Police

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Cornelius McRae, 23, was arrested for his suspected involvement in a string of Ellicott City burglaries.

Credit Howard County Police

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Police said a man suspected in a string of Ellicott City cat burglaries was arrested this week hiding in a dumpster on Tamar Drive in Columbia as he attempted to flee the scene of a burglary.

Cornelius Antonio McRae, 23, of Baltimore, was charged with multiple counts of burglary, theft and assault, police said.

Police said they spotted McRae near the 8100 block of Tamar Drive on Jan. 6, near the site of a burglary that had just been committed. Police said they were in the area after they had located an unoccupied stolen 2013 silver Honda Pilot, which they determined McRae had been driving.

Police reported they saw McRae carrying a pink purse, similar to one reported stolen in the Tamar burglary.

McRae ran when police approached, but during a search of the area, police said they were able to locate him in a nearby dumpster. While attempting to arrest McRae, police said he resisted, injuring an officer's hand.

Inside the dumpster police reported finding a wallet and credit cards that belonged to the victim of the Tamar Drive burglary.

McRae is suspected to be involved in Dec. 17 cat burglaries near the 9800 block of Madeline Court, the 3700 block of Groversnor Drive and the 3800 block of Grosvenor Drive in Ellicott City as well as the Tamar Drive burglary.

Police said McRae entered the residences in Ellicott City through unlocked doors while the residents were sleeping and stole similar items, such as laptops, Apple products, wallets, purses, credit cards and money.

During the investigation, police said they determined multiple victims' credit cards were being used in a similar area in Baltimore and developed McRae as a suspect through pawn records.

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Related Topics: Burglaries, Columbia, Crime, Ellicott City, Grovesnor, Howard County, McRae, and Tamar Drive

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Sanchez

12:57 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013

They should have just put the trash in the truck and run the compactor!
14 line items on the Judiciary website. Save the Citizens by keeping these people in jail.

Polly

6:36 am on Friday, January 11, 2013

Sanchez - you beat me to it. I was going to say he was exactly where he belonged. Keep him locked up in the dumpster until his hearing. SMH

Gives a whole new meaning to "dumpster diving"

Robert Rey

7:09 am on Friday, January 11, 2013

This guy belongs in the dumpster. He probably came from one.

uneverno

10:09 am on Friday, January 11, 2013

"Police reported they saw McRae carrying a pink purse"
If there's any justice, he'll be made to carry that purse with him to jail!

Justin case

10:44 am on Friday, January 11, 2013

Send him to the jail we see on tv where the warden makes u wear pink jumpsuit & live in military style tents. He calls it "tent city "

Keith

12:25 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013

Make him wear the purse in jail!!! lol

Keith

12:29 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013

Well the bright side is he has not turned violent yet.. So get him some help. Ask why is he burglarizing homes. There is still hope for this kid!!!

Colliemom

12:40 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013

Same pattern as other criminals in the crime spike we've had; perps coming to Howard County from other areas to commit crimes. Difficult to stop this, as HC has reputation for wealth and residents perhaps may be more lax about personal and home safety. Would help if the Howard County courts administered firm justice and locked up the perps for a long time; they would be off our streets and others might choose not to come here with criminal intent.

MR6453

5:22 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013

Too many liberal judges.

jnrentz1

8:32 am on Sunday, January 13, 2013

I am a hand wringer, and I am sure that this is not Mr. McRae's fault, after all:

He did not have a color TV when he was growing up.

He was not breast fed.

His diaper was not properly changed.

Cosmic rays made him crazy.

If only he had a vegan diet.

He did not get a pony for Christmas.

Someone told him "No."

He was going to get his life together

He thought about church.

He forgot the name of his baby's momma.

He was going to start a new job Monday.

Paint chips peeling from the ceiling fell on his head.

Pick your own bull manure reason for this predator.

Sanchez

10:24 am on Sunday, January 13, 2013

This piece of dog excrement has in this one arrest 21 charges against him. Along with 13 other line items on the Judicial website. He had SIX charges for the same thing on 2-25-08 and EVERY charges was Nolle Prossed! Then he continues to make us victims. This is form one of his line items "4 YRS DOC, SENTENCE TO BEGIN ON 2/15/09; PROBATION CLOSED UNSATISFACTORILY"

HE SHOULD be in jail!

When will our JustUs system treat these thugs as the uncivilized people they are and PRESS charges not DROP them?

He has another line with 22 charges and EVERY ONE was nolle prossed on 1/8/2009. All for theft and burglary.
He has served time for burglary. Can this man be rehabilitated? Should he be on the streets? Do we need to wait until he breaks in someones home when they are there and something worse happens?

jnrentz1

7:10 am on Monday, January 14, 2013

Does anyone know if Maryland has a Chronic Offender Law and a specific law against Bail Jumping?

If not we should.

Keith

8:20 am on Monday, January 14, 2013

Maryland stiffer penalties for weed possession then breaking and enter/trespassing. lol..backwards state

Kaori

4:00 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013

Why do articles where the criminal/suspect is Black get 20+ comments while an article with a White criminal has less than 5?

Keith

5:37 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013

@ Kaori You now what season it is??? We have a black president. Plus if your white your right. Or NCR (Not Criminally Responsible). When a white person does something they didn't take their meds. We can't afford meds so we have to do compensate some how. I'm amazed at the attention he got considering he didn't kill an entire second grade class plus 6 educators. Nor is anyone terrified to go check out a movie because of this dog increment!!! lmfao smmfh ctfu motha f'n people

Keith

5:43 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013

Then there's sanchez commenting I bet he's an illegal..I have 2 ground zero human trafficing houses on my street...A white female Russian immigrant realtor owns both units....smmfh once again...White people want a race war so bad...But they are scared to take the first shot. Still nervous about from all those stories about Shaka Zulu. Lmfao

michelle bolster

9:27 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013

@kwezay. There are people who will help those caught in human trafficking. Samaritan women is one of them. To others, that is a lot of venom for a non violent crime. Glad he was caught but he is a fellow human.

Keith

7:22 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013

@ Michelle - Exactly my point and very well said a lot of venom.

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