College Park Student Accused Of Stealing From University

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) -- Police arrest a University of Maryland student accused of stealing from his own school.

As Christie Ileto reports, police say the student---along with two other suspects---stole more than $20,000 in athletic equipment from the university, some of which was recovered right here in Baltimore.

Police say Igor Rosenstell, Richard Landa and University of Maryland student Ian Hammer are behind multiple break-ins at the varsity team building.

Officials say the brazen acts started in November and the trio made off with more than $20,000 in stolen athletic gear including jerseys, lacrosse sticks and baseball equipment.

"They had some lacrosse items, some of which had Maryland things on it, some of which were generic," said a Fullerton store owner who didn't want his face on camera.

Police say the trio pawned off the equipment to a secondhand store in a shopping center in Fullerton.

"Apparently [the items] were stolen and we cooperated with police," he said.

The store owner didn't want his face on camera but says he had no idea the items were stolen. In fact, he adds there were no red flags, as his employees knew one of the suspects selling the stolen items in the store.

"A nice, clean-cut kid with a good education certainly should know better," he said.

Police say two of the men are from the Baltimore area; the third, Hammer, attends the university.

Hammer recently posted on his Facebook page that he's a semester from graduating from the university, writing, "It was a semester of ups and downs and many lessons learned but shaped me into a better person. I have learned from my mistakes and grown from them."

But that's little penance for fellow Terps, who say they're simply appalled.

"It's kind of a betrayal in a lot of ways," said fellow graduate student Andrew Flavin.

All three have been released on bond. They face burglary and theft charges.