7/29 – Montgomery Burglar Caught After Leaving Cellphone is Given 26 Years

The crime became international news by virtue of its comedic value: A burglar was caught after he left his cellphone — plugged into a wall because it needed charging — behind at the scene of a Silver Spring break-in, leading police right to him. But there was little comedy in court Thursday. Seven victims testified about lives changed. The parents and grandmother of the burglar spoke of the heartbreak of his pain-pill addiction. And a judge hammered down a 26 ½-year prison sentence for Cody Wilkins, who had pleaded guilty to seven break-ins, all in Montgomery County.Police suspected Wilkins in dozens of break-ins between fall and January. Johnson said he handed down the sentence — unusually long for someone who hadn’t robbed, injured or killed anyone — because Wilkins hit so many houses and left victims feeling so violated, according to Washington Post.