Maryland burglary suspect was caught after he called the police because someone else allegedly stole his truck while he was robbing a store

A man in Maryland recently found himself in a rather ironic situation when he called the police to report his own truck stolen, only to end up in handcuffs for a crime he was allegedly committing at the very same time. It is safe to say that most people understand the basic logic of avoiding any unnecessary contact with law enforcement while engaging in illegal activities. This particular individual, however, decided to ignore that common sense guideline and paid the price for his lack of foresight.

The incident took place in Ellicott City, Maryland, on the morning of June 25, Fox 5 DC reported. Officers from the Howard County Police Department were originally dispatched to a 7-Eleven located on Route 40 in response to a call from 29-year-old Jalen Godard. He claimed that his truck had been stolen from the location.

What he likely failed to anticipate was that the police were already preoccupied with a separate, yet nearby, criminal investigation. Just 30 minutes before arriving at the 7-Eleven to speak with Godard, officers had responded to a report of a burglary at a Verizon store located directly across the street on Baltimore National Pike.

The burglary at the Verizon store had been quite messy

The perpetrator gained access to the building by breaking a window, a maneuver that resulted in the individual suffering a cut during the entry process. When police arrived at the 7-Eleven to take the report regarding the stolen truck, they were already armed with information about the scene of the burglary. They noticed a trail of evidence that began to paint a very clear picture of what had transpired.

The investigation took a turn when officers noticed blood on the broken glass at the Verizon store. As they interviewed Godard about his truck, they began to notice similar markings on his person. They spotted blood smeared on his glasses and on his hand, which he was attempting to conceal from the officers. The suspect was wearing glasses tucked into a balaclava during the burglary, which helped the police identify him. The physical evidence, including the blood on his hand and shirt, provided the officers with enough cause to take action.

Bodycam footage released by the Howard County Police Department shows the moment the situation escalated. Godard repeatedly denied being at the Verizon store, even as the evidence against him became increasingly difficult to ignore. Surveillance footage from the store allegedly shows him committing the burglary, which contradicts his claims to the officers on the scene. The officer who placed him in handcuffs made sure to acknowledge the irony of the entire ordeal. “That’s some karma right there dude,” the officer said before securing him in the back of a police vehicle.

The 29-year-old suspect is now facing charges for burglary, theft, and destruction of property. While Godard is now in custody, the investigation into the other half of this story remains ongoing. Police have not yet released any information regarding the person who allegedly stole Godard’s truck. It is unclear if there are any leads on that front, or if the individual who took the vehicle will ever be identified.