Dundalk Woman, Wanted in Howard County, Arrested in Florida

The two suspects wanted in connection with a string of daytime door kick-in burglaries throughout Howard County were recently arrested in Bay County, Florida.

Jopseh Leo Baumgarten and Dianna Lynn Marketti have been wanted by the Howard County Sheriff’s Office since they skipped a bail hearing on Nov. 15. 

Marketti was arrested on an outstanding warrant after police responded to a verbal altercation between her and Baumgarten on Christmas, according to Springfield, FL Police. That day, Baumgarten fled the scene, said Springfield police, but he was later picked up on an outstanding warrant on Jan. 3 and charged with resisting an officer and providing a false name.

Springfield is located on the Florida panhandle, just outside Panama City.

Howard County Police are in the process of extraditing the two back to Maryland, according to the Howard County Sheriff’s Office. 

The two were released on $15,000 bail each in October despite being charged with four daytime door kick-in burglaries around the county and suspected in at least 10 others, according to police.

Baumgarten, 40, of Pasadena, and Marketti, 30, of Dundalk, were arrested by Howard County Police in October after being tracked down through stolen Ravens tickets and pawn shop videos, but were released on bail the next day.

Afterward, a hearing was set to adjust their bail on Nov. 15, but neither of the two appeared at the hearing.

Their arrest concludes a two-month search for the suspects by the Howard County Sheriff’s Office that included hitting a dead end at an abandoned foreclosed home in Dundalk.

Police reported Marketti drove a blue Chrysler PT Cruiser that was reportedly seen at the site of at least two of the door kick-in burglaries in the county. Baumgarten was recorded fencing what police said was merchandise stolen from the burglaries in pawnshop surveillance videos. 

The suspects were charged with allegedly stealing $22,000 in firearms, jewelry and electronics from four residences in Columbia, Ellicott City and Woodbine. 

After being released on bail, Marketti was allegedly attacked by Baumgarten in Baltimore in October. According to a Baltimore County police report, Baumgarten assaulted and kidnapped Marketti in the process of stealing her vehicle near Sparrows Point Country Club in Baltimore.

Even before his alleged involvement in the burglaries, Baumgarten had an extensive record that included violating probation five times  after being convicted of burglary for offenses from 1996, 2002 and 2008, according to the Howard County state’s attorney’s office.

Marketti currently has 15 active traffic cases, most for driving on a suspended license, according to court records.

“We are glad they are back in custody,” wrote police spokesperson Sherry Llewellyn in an email. “In general terms, the police department supports the idea of the court system making it more challenging for repeat offenders to get back on the street, so they cannot victimize more people.”

The daytime door kick-in burglaries became so prevalent in September that police issued a warning asking residents to hide valuables after 10 residences in Columbia, Ellicott City, Clarksville, Elkridge and Woodbine were struck in a matter of three days. Police said the burglar would knock on a door and then, if unanswered, kick-in the door, go to the master bedroom, ransack it and steal valuables.

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