Guilty Plea Entered in String of Ellicott City Apartment Burglaries

September 8, 2009

A 24-year-old Hanover man entered guilty pleas to four counts of first degree burglary in connection with a string of burglaries at the Town & Country apartment complex in Ellicott City last fall. Brian Eui Hong, of the 6000 block of Adcock Lane, entered the plea before retired Howard County Circuit Court Judge Raymond Kane, Jr. this morning.

Howard County Police received multiple reports of apartment burglaries between September 2 and October 15, 2008. Residents reported various valuables stolen, including jewelry, credit cards, clothing, electronics and cash. In several of the cases, the victims also reported that women’s underwear also had been stolen.

Deputy States Attorney Mary V. Murphy told the court that an October 3, 2008, gasoline purchase at an Ellicott City service station led to the identification and eventual arrest of Hong. Police reviewed surveillance video from the station and paired the use of a stolen credit card with a distinctive Toyota MR2 Spyder convertible.

Though the video did not reveal the car’s license plate number, several days later patrol officers spotted the car and were able to obtain the tag number before the driver sped off from the same apartment complex. Hong was arrested October 16, 2008, and Murphy told the court that a subsequent search of his residence turned up a stash of stolen items including designer handbags, an antique bottle, clothing and accessories, a green bag containing numerous panties and bras, and some $5800 in cash.

Murphy said that Hong waived his Miranda rights and freely spoke with detectives investigating the case. She stated that Hong told the detectives that he had a job and did not need the money, that he acted alone in committing the burglaries, and that he does not wear women’s clothing but admitted to wearing women’s clothing on one occasion.

Judge Kane set a sentencing date for December 21, 2009. Murphy indicated that she will seek a sentence of eight years of active incarceration, restitution in excess of $18,000 for the victims, and five years supervised probation.