College Park sees theft and shoplifting uptick in May; police report 10 stolen vehicles and a commercial robbery

Major Eddie Ciccolleti, presenting the College Park daily crime report for May, told attendees the city recorded one commercial robbery, four assaults, two commercial burglaries, one residential burglary, four thefts from autos, 17 other thefts and 10 stolen vehicles during the month.

The report, which Ciccolleti said included new year‑to‑date comparison columns for 2023–2025, showed an overall downward trend in total reported crime across the three years but local increases in categories such as shoplifting and thefts from vehicles. "If it wasn't for the force that was used on the victim, it would be classified as a theft, but, unfortunately, since the victim was assaulted, it is considered a robbery," Ciccolleti said of a May 1 incident at a Wawa on the 10000 block of Baltimore Avenue in which three masked suspects stole cigarettes and cigars.

Ciccolleti described other incidents in May: an assault at 7313 Baltimore Avenue in which a suspect threw rocks and shattered a storefront window after a struggle with an employee; a May 26 commercial burglary at an Exxon station reported at 8:38 a.m. in which the front glass door was shattered and cash and cigarettes were stolen; and a commercial burglary at a business in the 4400 block of Knox Road on May 27 in which a rear steel door was pried open and cash was taken.

On vehicle‑related crime, Ciccolleti said thefts from autos increased from six in April to 14 in May, and that six of those incidents included stolen airbags, tires or rims. The department recorded 10 stolen vehicles in May, up from nine in April.

Ciccolleti and other staff fielded questions about how the year‑to‑date columns are calculated; Ciccolleti confirmed the "year to date" columns reflect January through the current month and said staff can provide full 12‑month totals for 2023 and 2024 on request. Mayor Kabir and councilmembers thanked staff for adding the comparative charts.

Residents asked about shoplifting hot spots and what items were being targeted; Ciccolleti said common targets include food, hygiene products, tools, laundry detergent, alcohol and cigarettes, and he cited a CVS at the 8300 block of Baltimore Avenue as one of the locations with multiple calls in May. He also invited residents with specific leads to share photos or locations with the department so patrols can be increased.

The presentation included heat maps of calls for service, quality‑of‑life complaints, field interviews and traffic stops. Ciccolleti said the department added multi‑year comparisons to help the public see trends, but he cautioned monthly totals can fluctuate. "You can always have one or two bad months, which changes the numbers, real quickly," he said.

The meeting record shows staff answered follow‑up requests about providing full‑year totals for prior years and about adding context to the charts; no formal board votes or policy decisions were taken during the crime report portion of the meeting.

Less‑critical details and next steps: staff said they will try to provide 12‑month totals for 2023 and 2024 and welcomed residents' photos or specific addresses to guide patrols.