Police use Ravens tickets to nab Md. burglary suspects

WASHINGTON – A Maryland man and woman are facing charges in a series of burglaries after police say they were tracked down through a pair of stolen Baltimore Ravens tickets.

Joseph Leo Baumgarten, 40, of Pasadena and Dianna Marketti, 30, were charged Friday in connection with four burglaries between Sept. 12 and Sept. 26 in Columbia, Ellicott City, and Woodbine. Howard County police say the doors to several homes were kicked in, and the pair stole items including jewelry, cash, guns and a video camera.

In a Sept. 24 burglary in Ellicott City, police say the pair stole Baltimore Ravens tickets. Detectives went to the Ravens game three days later, police say, and a person using one of the tickets said a woman came into his sports memorabilia shop to sell them.

Police say the woman was Marketti, and connected her to a blue PT Cruiser that a witness reportedly saw at the scene of one of the burglaries. Police also linked Marketti and Baumgarten with stolen items sold to various pawn shops.

The two were arrested in a traffic stop, and face burglary, theft and destruction of property charges. Police think the pair may have been involved in as many as 10 additional cases and are continuing to investigate.

Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up