Authorities charged a Charlotte Hall, Md., man with more than half a dozen tire and rim thefts over the past year.
Rodney Peter Quarles Jr. is suspected of eight thefts between March 2011 and January.
Authorities first arrested Quarles Jan. 31 after he led members of the Charles County Sheriff's Office on a late-night chase, police said.
After searching Quarles's vehicle, officers found four tires, along with a ski mask and tools to remove tires. He was arrested for fleeing and eluding police, failure to obey a lawful order, and resisting arrest and released on bond, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office.
Officers were called the next morning to a White Plains home after a report that rims and tires had been stolen from a car. The victim identified the rims and tires that had been found in Quarles’s vehicle as hers, authorities said. Charles County Sheriff's officers arrested Quarles again and charged him with felony theft, rogue and vagabond, and fourth-degree burglary. He was again released on bond from the Charles County Detention Center.
Detectives with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office continued the investigation and obtained an arrest warrant Feb. 7 charging Quarles with seven counts of theft valued between $1,000 and $10,000; theft valued at less than $1,000; three counts of fourth-degree burglary; and eight counts each of possession of burglar’s tools and rogue and vagabond. He was released on $20,000 bond Feb. 8, according to police.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office suspects Quarles of other thefts and believes he was not acting alone. They urge residents to call police if they see any suspicious behavior and to take extra steps, such as installing a car alarm and marking rims to assist in the recovery of stolen property.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Charles County Sheriff's Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by texting “Charles” and the tip to CRIMES or by visiting www.ccso.us to submit a tip online. Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest or indictment.
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