An AACC public safety officer interrupted a late-night burglary on campus over winter break, leading to an arrest by Anne Arundel County police.

While patrolling the college grounds during the midnight shift on Dec. 20, Officer Ashton Thomas spotted a suspicious individual sneaking around campus-owned vehicles at the loading dock of the SUN building.

“I was on Ring Road, just happen[ed] to pass the SUN building, and realized that I saw someone coming from someone’s car,” Thomas said. “I notified the other two officers that were here that I noticed someone who was unfamiliar, and that his face was completely covered. When I went to turn around in my vehicle, he disappeared.”

After Thomas continued his search, he located the suspect, 20-year-old Arnold resident Andrew Michael Messineo, in the YMCA of Arnold vestibule that connects the outer pool to the main building.

When county police arrived, Messineo fled through the hole he cut in the plastic dome covering the pool, according to police.

Another county officer, who was waiting on the other side of the building, caught the suspect.
Police said they found a knife and ID on Messineo.

Messineo told police he was looking for somewhere to stay warm because it was cold.

During a search of the area, Thomas located a backpack belonging to Messineo containing a rubber mallet, hammer, pry-bar, lock-picking tools and zip-lock bags, according to police.

Police said they suspect Messineo of being responsible for a hit-and-run car accident earlier in the day while driving on a suspended license.

The court suspended Messineo’s license for failing to report to court after campus police issued a marijuana citation.

“This entire department is familiar with him because this gentleman was pulled over for running a stop sign, and one of the passengers fled out of the car, and then [police] ended up finding marijuana in the car,” said Thomas. “He had an extensive record.”

Messineo has never attended AACC, and is banned from campus, police said.