Crime stories rarely come with a punchline, but police in Maryland say a recent case practically wrote itself.
According to a report by Khau 11A 29-year-old Maryland man allegedly broke into a Verizon Wireless store, only to discover that while he was inside stealing items, someone else had stolen the truck he conveniently left outside, citing body camera footage released by the Howard County Police Department and investigators.
a theft that was soon exposed
The bizarre series of events unfolded around June 25 in Ellicott City, Maryland, near the 9300 block of Baltimore National Pike. Police say Jalen Goddard of Odenton broke a window to enter a Verizon Wireless store. While doing so, investigators say he cut himself on the broken glass, causing bleeding that later became evidence.
After entering the store, officers allege he stole merchandise before leaving.
Howard County Police Department via KHOU 11.
There was just one problem.
Goddard reportedly parked his truck across the street with the engine still running and the keys inside. While he was allegedly busy carrying out the theft, another opportunistic thief spotted the abandoned vehicle and fled.
Instead of driving off with the stolen electronics, the suspect was suddenly left standing without his transportation.
The 911 call that connected everything
The police received two calls within a short time. One reported a theft at a Verizon store. The second case was of a man who reported that his truck was stolen off the road. The thief actually called the police.
Authorities immediately realized that this remarkable coincidence was more than just bad luck.
When police spoke to Goddard, they reviewed surveillance footage from inside the Verizon store. Investigators say the thief is visible in the video, while blood left on the broken window matches injuries seen by officers. When officers confronted him with the evidence, body camera footage captured the conversation.
After learning that the truck had gone missing because its owner had left it running with the keys inside, one officer couldn’t help but point out the irony and commented, “That’s some karma right here.”
Goddard reportedly admitted that he had done exactly that.
no honor among thieves
Police arrested Goddard at the scene and charged him with theft, burglary and destruction of property. Ironically, despite being the victim of another theft, authorities say his own truck still has not been recovered.
The case has spread rapidly online as it combines criminal investigation with a healthy dose of poetic justice. It also serves as an unexpected reminder that leaving a vehicle running and unattended is risky for anyone, regardless of why they drove away.
As this unusual case from Maryland shows, sometimes the smartest thief isn’t the one who breaks into the store. This is the one who sees a truck waiting on the road.
