Ocean City, MD - Crooks Pinch Cop Car for Joy Ride

06/22/2006 OCEAN CITY – Criminals typically prey on easy targets, but the widely recognized tactic did not hold true last week when a police car was stolen from city property, taken on a joy ride and missing some sensitive items when police recovered the vehicle with no suspects inside.

With summer in full swing and crowds of high school and college-aged youngsters piled high, the resort’s police department is engaged in their busiest time of year. Given assault, robbery and weapon reports, not to mention a spike in open container and disorderly conduct violations, which are seemingly more popular in June, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) may have to take one on the chin, literally, as investigators currently have few leads or suspects in a case last week involving a stolen police car.

OCPD spokesman Barry Neeb on Wednesday said the investigation is ongoing and some information is guarded, but solving the case appears doubtful.

“The case is still open. I don’t know if it’s going to be cleared,” said Neeb.

According to police, OCPD Corporal Ric Wawrzeniak, a member of the department’s Quick Response Team, was working downtown last week near Dorchester Street when his undercover vehicle was stolen from a municipal parking lot.

Shortly after the vehicle was reported stolen, police officers recovered Wawrzeniak’s car more than 30 city blocks away. According to police, the car was found in the parking lot of the Executive Motel on 30th Street; however, no suspects were apprehended.

Neeb said the investigation is ongoing and it is undetermined whether the officer had locked his car doors or not. However, Wawrzeniak’s vehicle had no signs of forced entry and police believe the suspect(s) ransacked the car and located a valet key stored in the glove box, which was used to start the vehicle and drive from Dorchester Street.

Given their line of work and authority, police officers are not typically the target or victim of thefts. Neeb said they believe the person stole the vehicle without prior knowledge that it belonged to a law enforcement officer.

“I don’t think that this guy thought this was a police car, he probably just stumbled upon it,” he said.

Wawrzeniak is a member of the town’s Quick Response Team, or QRT, which is a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) type unit. As such, the officer had his specialized bag of equipment in the vehicle during the incident, which is standard practice, according to Neeb.

Neeb said the joy rider stole two containers of ammunition, totaling 24 bullets, and a diversionary device, however, no firearms or explosives were lifted from the car and are rarely, if ever, transported in an officer’s vehicle.

The diversionary device is a non-lethal gadget used to create a loud noise and bright flash, not unlike a large firecracker.


“It’s not uncommon for police officers to carry equipment in their cars, [but] very rarely, if ever, are firearms left in a car,” he said.

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