Maryland man reports car stolen. Then cops allege he had blood on his hands, and that was the first clue there was more to story

A Maryland man who called police to report that his vehicle had been stolen instead found himself under arrest after officers noticed what investigators said was blood on his hands and clothing. According to the Howard County Police Department, those observations quickly led officers to connect him to a burglary that had just occurred across the street in Ellicott City.

Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Jalen Godard of Odenton. Authorities allege the incident unfolded around 5:45 a.m. on June 25, 2026, in the 9300 block of Baltimore National Pike, where officers responded after Godard reported that someone had stolen his vehicle from the parking lot of a nearby McDonald’s. At nearly the same time, police received a report of a burglary at a nearby Verizon Wireless store.

Responding officer PFC Buchanan noticed blood on Godard’s hand, shirt, and eyeglasses while taking the stolen vehicle report. Investigators also found blood on the shattered window at the Verizon store, which they said had been broken during the burglary. Officers then detained Godard as they investigated, according to CBS News.

Howard County police: “Karma, indeed”

The Howard County Police Department later shared body camera footage and surveillance video from the investigation in a post on X. The department wrote: “Don’t you hate it when your car gets stolen while you’re committing a burglary? Great work by PFC Buchanan connecting the dots to the burglary across the street when this suspect called to report his car was stolen. Karma, indeed.”

The released video shows officers questioning Godard about the blood on his hand before placing him in handcuffs. It also includes surveillance footage that police say shows a suspect breaking a window to enter the Verizon store and removing merchandise.

During the body camera footage, Godard repeatedly denies being at the store before officers place him in a patrol vehicle. One officer is heard saying, “That’s some karma right there,” after learning that Godard’s own vehicle had been stolen while he was allegedly inside the business.

Investigators believe Godard entered the Verizon store by smashing a window and stealing speakers before discovering that someone had driven away in his own vehicle, which had been left nearby with the keys inside. Police have not announced an arrest in the theft of Godard’s vehicle.

Howard County police charged Godard with burglary, theft, and destruction of property. Local outlet WMAR, citing court records, reported that Godard is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 24.