Catonsville Couple Nabs Burglary Suspect at Gunpoint
A Dunmore resident pulls his gun to keep a man from running away until police arrive.
When Linda and Todd Schilling heard their dog barking shortly after 4 a.m. on May 16 they took action.
Their boxer, Daisy, was insistent, the couple told Patch in a phone interview. Todd Schilling went downstairs and retrieved his licensed glock handgun from a locked safe in their home on Dungarrie Road in the Dunmore area of Catonsville.
When Todd went outside on the porch, he saw a man in the passenger side of his van, rifling through the console.
Todd told the man to stop, pointed his gun and ordered the man to stand on the porch while Linda called 911.
The couple said the police arrived within 10 minutes.
Police charged Roberto Antonio Ramos, 21, of Venice, CA, with rogue and vagabond, according to the police report.
Lt. Nancy Storke of the Wilkens Precinct said that because nothing was stolen, lesser charges were filed.
The Schillings said they told their community about the incident via the neighborhood newsletter.
Linda Schilling, a lifelong Catonsville resident, said the incident was frightening but she was glad her husband acted.
"Both of us feel like, 'Vote one for the good guys,'" Schilling said. She said her car has been broken into before this year.
The Dunmore area, she said, has been hit with crime recently, including a number of shed break-ins.
"We've had too much going on recently and I've had it," she said.
What do you think? Has crime gotten out of hand in Catonsville?
Terry
8:16 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Catonsville crime is going to get a lot worse. The problem is the city. I lived in Paradise for several years starting in 1995. As soon as the sun went down the neighbors knew not to go on Frederick Rd. At night you thought you were in the worst part of the city.The problem is Irvington, one of the biggest drug areas in the city. They would stop at seven eleven and load up on munchies, make phone calls at the phone booth, hit the beltway or go further into Catonsville to sell drugs. The area might be a great place to live, but with all the stores and foot traffic in Catonsville you might be at greater risk than Arbutus. Wilkens Avenue doesn't have Irvington to bring in crime in our area. Residents there should never think they are immune from crime because everything is so wonderful in Catonsville. Criminals are not dumb, they know where people live in a bubble and where folks forget to lock their cars, leave their belongings outside, leave their windows unlocked. The area has a false sense of security. Congrats to you and your husband for catching the thief. I hope he goes to jail, however, a public defender will probably get him off.
Chillin
8:46 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Hooray for the good guys. Had the bad guy had the gun and the good guy not had his this story would have had a very different ending. I like this happy ending. With our insanely strict gun laws, I'm surprised the victim (Mr. Schilling) wasn't arrested, though I'm glad he wasn't. This is the second story in the Arbutus Patch this week where the homeowner took action and the bad guys were caught. A sense of satisfaction must have come to them afterwards. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Schilling.
Molly Brooks
9:36 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Thank you Todd & Linda!!!! Daisy rocks!
Emilie Gannon
4:20 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
I have seen a crime increase in just the almost 3 years we have lived here! The city is moving in closer and closer and we are moving away from this area due to the crime.
Cal Oren
10:49 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Bad idea: pointing a loaded handgun at someone when you have no intention of pulling the trigger under any circumstances. Even worse idea: killing someone in the act of committing a property crime. I have had both my car in my driveway broken into, as well as my home, and can fully appreciate the Schilling's anger at this invasion of their property, but outrage doesn't automatically justify taking a life. I believe that Maryland law is pretty clear - you are well within your rights to kill anyone who invades your home, because you can assume they are prepared to kill you. Rifling through your automobile looking for spare change and cell phones to steal is a different matter.
Elizabeth
2:13 pm on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Who said he inteneded to kill the theif? I'd just shoot his leg. I'm a good shot.
GM
3:00 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Yes, I agree that the crime has gotten worse in both Arbutus & in Catonsville.It is just the trash from the city moving further into the county.
There needs to be stronger punishments for drug violations as most of the crime is a result of them being on drugs - The laws need to be changed -
As a long time resident of the area I we see cars & people in the neighborhood that do not live in the area- One is scared to walk the streets of Catonsville after dark now.It is a shame that another middle class neighborhood has to decline in value due to the invasion from the inner city.