Robert Joseph Coggins Jr.
Prince Frederick, MD – A Calvert County man charged with stealing from his ex-employer in March was indicted in Circuit Court April 17, court documents stated. The accused—identified as Robert Joseph Coggins Jr., 32 of North Beach—is facing three counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of theft less than $1,000, theft between $1,000 and $10,000, and theft scheme between $1,000 to $10,000. Five of the seven counts are felonies. The theft incidents allegedly occurred between March 7 and 10 at an apartment on Erie Avenue in North Beach.
The victim told police Coggins was an ex-employee and that on March 10 a neighbor told him [the victim] he saw a man matching Coggins’ description leaving the apartment. Upon returning home from work and walking his dog, the victim noticed several items missing, including prescription pills, $900 cash and a Bowie knife. Another neighbor also told police investigators that he saw a man matching Coggins’ description at the victim’s apartment. One of the neighbors who spoke with police was able to identify Coggins as the man seen exiting the victim’s apartment when shown a photograph of the accused. Police located Coggins at a friend’s home. Coggins admitted to the officers that that he went to the victim’s home and stole some pills. After being arrested, Coggins agreed to speak with investigators without an attorney present.
“There was a good amount of deception during the interview and Mr. Coggins’ story changed several times,” Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Dfc. Christopher Fox wrote in the statement of probable cause. “Mr. Coggins admitted to entering [the] residence on three separate occasions without his [victim’s] permission.” Coggins claimed that on at least two of the occasions we gained entry through unlocked doors. The suspect also affirmed that: when confronted by the victim about stealing cash he paid the victim $300; he and the victim “have been involved in drug transactions and he felt like during the times in went into [the victim’s] residence he was owed what he was stealing; “and denied stealing $900, 30 to 40 oxycodone pills and a Bowie knife. “Mr. Coggins changed his story numerous times but held true to not stealing these items,” Fox stated. Coggins also told investigators he spent the money and either used or sold the pills.
Coggins was subsequently released on $25,000 bond. According to court records, Coggins’ first appearance before a Circuit Court judge is tentatively set for May 1. The records indicate he is being represented by the Public Defenders’ Office.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.