Man Charged with Burglarizing Landscaper, 16 Other Businesses

Anne Arundel County Police say they have arrested the man responsible for burglarizing a Gambrills landscaping business and at least 16 other businesses throughout the county during the month of July.

According to a police press release, David Evi Cooper burglarized six businesses in the police department's Western District, including Franklin Landscaping on Maryland Route 3. 

The release said officers arrested Cooper, 45, of no fixed address, and linked him to burglaries at 17 local businesses in the eastern, western and southern parts of Anne Arundel County. The Maryland Judiciary Case Search website shows that Cooper faces 36 counts of burglary and related offenses.

“Since the early part of July, there have been multiple commercial burglaries reported throughout Anne Arundel County involving a single suspect targeting and making forced entries into businesses,” according to the police press release.

Police said their investigation began on July 19 when they discovered a cell phone while investigating a burglary at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds in Crownsville.

After finding the phone, officers were able to develop a name and possible suspect in that particular incident.

Nine days later, police investigated a burglary at the “Ice Shack” snowball stand in Pasadena where they found video surveillance footage that captured an image of the burglar. Police said they showed the image to Cooper’s family who positively identified him as the man breaking into the snowball stand.

Three days after acquiring an arrest warrant on Aug. 3, Eastern District detectives observed a motorcycle run at a red light at the intersection of Route 2 North and Jones Station Road in Severna Park. Police initiated a traffic stop and identified Cooper as the driver of the motorcycle. Officers took Cooper to the Eastern District Police Station where they interviewed the 45-year-old with other county detectives.

Further investigations linked the suspect to 17 commercial burglaries throughout the county.

Southern District:

• Sweet Tarts Snowballs                         
• Tubzie’s Shaved Ice                         
•                    
•                               
• Tropical Bay Water            

Eastern District:

• Severna Park Golf Center            
• Gary’s Garden                                    
• Arnold Farm Garden Center            
• Rey’s Crab Shack                       
• Extra Space Storage
• Ice Shack           

Western District:

• Fischer Landscaping             
• Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds                       
• Eisenhower Golf Course                                   
• Crownsville Gardens                       
• Franklin Landscaping