March 17 – Three Romanian nationals were arrested on Wednesday in connection with a series of burglaries and robberies in Maryland and Pennsylvania, police said.
Stefan Chiciu, 43 years old; Anisoara Nistor, 41; and Ana Maria Velcu, 33, all had out-of-state arrest warrants, a press release from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said.
Velcu and Nistor are also wanted internationally by the International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol, according to the statement.
Following the arrests, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed detainees in Chiciu, Nistor and Velcu under its 287(g) program.
With detainees, ICE asks a law enforcement agency to notify it of a potential non-citizen in custody and asks the local agency to hold the person in custody for a brief period, so that ICE could take custody of it, according to the federal agency’s website.
ICE places detainees on those arrested on criminal charges when ICE has probable cause to believe they can be removed from the United States
Sheriff’s Department spokesman Todd Wivell wrote in a text message that the Sheriff’s Department “intends” to charge the three in Frederick County.
Since Dec. 28, burglaries have been committed by small groups of men and women in the Emmitsburg, Jefferson, Point of Rocks, Thurmont and Woodsboro areas, the sheriff’s office said in a news release in February. . Burglars also hit northern counties in Maryland and southern Pennsylvania.
The burglaries are still under investigation, according to Friday’s new statement, but Chiciu, Nistor and Velcu are accused of being part of the larger burglary operation. The sheriff’s office said it arrested them on out-of-state warrants.
Police said the burglars were trying to distract others by trying to buy eggs or farm animals. Other times, they enter people’s homes without their permission, or return to a property and steal items from the home, according to the February news release.
Since then, police have found that groups of burglars often travel long distances from their homes, which are mostly concentrated in Baltimore, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
The story continues
Typically, they operate minivans of all makes, models and colors, the statement said. Minivans usually have out-of-state license plates.
In the press release, Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said the sheriff’s office is working with police in Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Howard County, Washington County, and Montgomery County, as well as Maryland State Police and law enforcement. Pennsylvania.
Sheriff’s Office Lt. Andy Crone said in the news release that the agency believes there are “several groups in the area that are committing these crimes.” Crone asked people to stay alert and call 301-600-2071 if they see anything suspicious.
