Man accused of stealing money, lottery tickets at Urbana gas station
Dec. 8—A Frederick man is accused in an indictment of stealing money and lottery tickets from a gas station, then trying to cash in winning lottery tickets, authorities said.
Ranel Marcelino Castro, 24, was charged with second- and fourth-degree burglary, malicious destruction of property totaling over $1,000, and theft totaling between $1,500 and $25,000, according to a news release from the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office.
Online court records had no attorney listed for Castro as of Wednesday afternoon.
According to charging documents, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office responded to the Urbana Exxon on Urbana Church Road around 5:33 a.m. Oct. 28 for a report of a burglary.
Surveillance video at the gas station showed that around 12:22 a.m, a person came out of a nearby wooded area, broke the window near the front door and tried to enter the store through the window, charging documents say.
The person was unsuccessful, went to the back of the building and entered through a door there, charging documents say. The person exited from the same door with a grocery bag of items and went back to the wooded area.
They returned and tried, unsuccessfully, to carry a roughly 100-pound safe out of the store to the wooded area. They left, and returned in a Buick Encore, loaded the safe into the car, and drove away, charging documents say.
In total, the sheriff's office estimated, the person stole $5,000 — about $700 in change, $800 in cash, $3,000 in scratch-off lottery tickets and the safe valued at $500.
Additionally, the person caused $3,715 of damage to the store, police estimated.
Days later, a Maryland Lottery investigator contacted the sheriff's office and said the person tried to cash in winning lottery tickets they stole. Charging documents say the person stole 880 tickets, valued at $4,800.
The person tried cashing in the tickets in person at a Giant Eagle on West Patrick Street and at Willow Tree Liquors on Willowdale Drive, as well as through a mobile app, charging documents say.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage at Willowdale Liquors, and an employee identified Castro as the man who tried to cash in the tickets, charging documents say. Later, police found a gray 2015 Buick Encore registered under Castro's name.
Police obtained a warrant and searched Castro's home and car.
During the search, police also found the stolen safe, numerous scratch-off lottery tickets, $296.50 worth of rolled coins and more.
Other indictments handed up by a Frederick County grand jury on Friday include:
— Bobby Kollie Yango, 58, of Frederick, charged with second-degree assault and second-degree child abuse
— Romulo Lazo-Rodriguez, 59, of Frederick, charged with second-degree assault and second-degree child abuse
— Anthony Scott Hughes Back, 31, of Thurmont, charged with first-degree child abuse, first- and second-degree assault, and neglect of a minor.
