PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office has provided new details on reports of suspicious activity near a propane facility south of Princess Anne on Friday.
The incident was first reported by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, who said they had been notified of potentially suspicious activity when a Sharp Energy Facility Plant employee claimed to have seen two men photographing storage tanks and rail cars at the propane facility on January 3 with “high tech” cameras. According to the employee’s report, the two men then got back into a dark blue Tesla and fled the area after an employee noticed them.
The report prompted the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office to ask neighbors to report any suspicious activity near local propane facilities.
Though the report originated in Somerset County, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office says the Sharp Energy Manager did not notify them of their concern. Instead, police say the manager reported it to the Maryland State Police and Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, as Sharp Energy has large propane depots in Worcester County as well.
Just before 4 p.m. on January 3, nearly two hours after the original report, the Somerset County Sheriff says a deputy then overheard a broadcast from Maryland State Police regarding the suspicious activity and began searching the area near Sharp Energy. The deputy then located a blue Tesla and stopped it. The occupants did not match the description given in the initial report, according to police, and no camera equipment was found.
On January 6, another witness provided an additional statement to the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office. The witness said they were driving on U.S. 13 near the Wilson Landing Trailer Park area on January 3 and saw a dark passenger car stopped at a crossover with its hazard lights on. The witness told police they saw two men jump out of the vehicle as a southbound train on the tracks approached. Police say the witness believed the men were trying to get a picture of the train, not the Sharp Energy facility, and after the train passed, both men returned to the car.
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office said there was nothing further to report on Monday.
