Serial burglar arrested for string of thefts at downtown Baltimore hotels

A man whom police are calling a serial burglar was arrested for a string of thefts that resulted in $20,000 of stolen property from several hotels in downtown Baltimore, according to police. 

Jamal Gardner, 34, was arrested at an apartment after police carried out a search and recovered stolen property linked to 14 people. Items including passports, credit cards, valuable jewelry, a custom suit, laptops, iPads, and checks were recovered, according to police. 

Police said Gardner used a specialized tool to open hotel doors and stealth to avoid getting caught for nearly a month.

Gardner was charged in connection with thefts at four downtown hotels, two apartments, and a commercial building, throughout January and February. 

According to charging documents, he has nine open burglary warrants and an open robbery warrant in Baltimore, along with warrants in several other jurisdictions. 

The investigation is ongoing. 

String of thefts in downtown Baltimore 

According to charging documents, Gardner was linked to thefts from hotels on six separate occasions. 

On Jan. 22, police said a victim at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in the 700 block of Aliceanne Street reported a theft from their room, charging documents show. 

The victim told police he left for a conference, and when he returned, his travel bag was missing. The bag reportedly contained his wallet, identification, credit cards, a laptop, Nike sneakers, the keys to a rental car and other electronic items. 

There were no signs of forced entry and hotel officials told police the room had been opened several times from the inside, but there was no record of a key being used for re-entry. 

On Feb. 1, a similar theft was reported at the Homewood Suites by Hilton on S. President Street, police said. The victim said he was staying alone and returned to find that two of his bags had been ransacked. 

The victim said several items were missing, including a $10,000 gold chain, a $1,000 necklace, his passport and a checkbook, according to court documents. No signs of forced entry were found, and the hotel was unable to retrieve the history of the room key, police said. 

On Feb. 12, police were again called to the Marriott Hotel downtown for a reported theft. The victim said he returned to his room to find his backpack was missing. A MacBook, AirPods, and an iPad were also reported missing, according to charging documents. 

On Feb. 17, another victim reported a theft at the Marriott, saying he returned to find his suitcase by an elevator. The victim reported that a laptop, custom made suit and other clothing items were missing, police said. 

On Feb. 20, another theft was reported, and the victim reported that a luxury bag, a jewelry box and an Apple Watch were stolen, according to charging documents. 

Investigation leads to arrest 

During the investigation, police recalled an old burglary case at a downtown hotel where the description matched the one for the current suspect, according to charging documents. 

An investigator was able to identify Gardner as a suspect through images taken during a burglary on President Street on Feb. 16, 2024.

Travelers on alert after burglaries

Travelers staying at the Baltimore hotels told WJZ they are being extra vigilant after learning about the serial burglar.

But, Kate Tuttle, who is staying at the Homewood Suites, said she doesn't pack much worth stealing.

"Definitely hotels should have safes and people should use them if they want to," Tuttle said. "I've only done it a few times with a safe actually. I guess I'm not a high roller."

Jacqueline Rose, who also is staying in a Harbor East hotel, travels often and hardly ever brings any valuables.

"I also make sure I'm placing things in the areas that they can't access," Rose said. "I think it's important to do the research of where you're going to stay and the hotels you're going to stay and their records when it comes to safety."