Thieves Pulled Over For Seat Belt Violation

OCEAN CITY -- Thousands of dollars in suspected stolen property was recovered when Selbyville police stopped a Dodge Caravan for seat belt violations.

Selbyville police were advised to look for the vehicle after receiving a tip that it had been involved in a burglary in Ocean Pines.

According to Lt. Greg Schoepf of the Ocean Pines Police Department, two residents returned home Saturday to find two strangers on their front porch. Once confronted, the two people said they were feeling weak and looking for some juice, according to police.

After the strangers left, the residents went inside to discover their house had been broken into and several items had been stolen. They immediately called Ocean Pines Police to report what had happened and give them a description of the vehicle.

They later identified James W. Cloyd, 63, of Berlin and Patricia J. Clemer, 25, of Berlin as the two who had been on their porch, police said.

After confirming it was the same vehicle that had fled the burglary in Ocean Pines, police held the occupants until Ocean Pines Police officers and detectives with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation could arrive.

Upon searching the vehicle authorities found about $4,400 in suspected stolen property, drug paraphernalia and 40 100-mg pills of a controlled substance.

The suspected stolen property included several televisions, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, tools, videos and DVDs, according to Scott Collins, chief of the Selbyville Police Department.

"I think it's ironic -- they do a burglary and then get stopped for a couple of seat belts," Collins said.

Some of the stolen property has already been returned. Collins said additional property is expected to be returned to the original owners once they are found and able to identify it.

Cloyd and Clemer were charged with six counts of receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a vehicle for drug distribution, two traffic offenses of not wearing seat belts and not having valid insurance.

Cloyd is being held at Sussex Correctional Institute on $34,100 secure bond, and Clemer is being held on $33,000 secure bond.

Charges in Maryland are pending, police said, as well as additional charges in Delaware.

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