Two Ocean City Men Arrested for Burglarizing Closed Hotels

The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) recently arrested two individuals suspected of burglarizing hotels closed for the winter months and stealing TV’s.

On November 14, 2018 at about 10:30 a.m. the OCPD received a report of a burglary at a hotel in the area of 29th Street and Baltimore Avenue. Through investigation, officers determined the burglary occurred on November 12 at about 5:45 a.m. and the suspects had stolen several TV’s from hotel rooms

Detectives determined the identity of the suspects and a Worcester County Circuit Court Judge authorized the search and seizure warrant for the suspects’ residence on 32nd Street. During the search of the residence, detectives located multiple TV’s and several bicycles that had previously been reported stolen. The suspects, later identified as Paul J. Kelly III, 31, and James T. Eckenrod, 44, of Ocean City, were arrested without incident.

As detectives were completing the search warrant, officers were dispatched to another reported burglary at a hotel in the area of 45thStreet and the beach. Hotel management reported that several TV’s had been stolen. TV’s in the suspects’ residence matched the description of those that were reported stolen from 45th Street hotel.

Kelly has been charged with two counts of first degree burglary, two counts of second degree burglary, one count of fourth degree burglary, one count of theft of $100 to less than $1,500, one count of theft $1,500 to less than $25,000, and one count of malicious destruction of property. He was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and transferred to the Worcester County Jail on $20,000 bond. Eckenrod has been charged with two counts of theft of $100 to less than $1,500. He was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and released on personal recognizance.