BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A warning for car owners: Canton residents said thieves are targeting an expensive car part you probably didn’t even know was worth stealing.

“I knew that carjacking was like an issue in Baltimore City, but I'd never heard of this before,” Canton resident Felicia Rugh said.

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Eager to get back to work after being away for the holidays, Rugh said it wasn’t until she got behind the wheel of her Honda CRV that she realized something was wrong.

“All the sensors in my car were like beeping, saying, everything's malfunctioning,” she said.

Still unsure what it could be, she took her car in for a routine oil change. That’s when technicians told her the radar sensor was gone.

The radar sensor, typically mounted behind your car’s front emblem, controls key safety features such as collision warnings and adaptive cruise control. Once stolen, dashboard warning lights appear and those systems no longer function. Thieves can often remove the part in seconds using simple tools. Hondas are the primary target, but some Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes models are also affected.

Rugh is also not alone. Neighbors reported at least three other incidents in the last week. One case, caught on home surveillance video, showed a suspect approaching a parked Honda, crouching near the front bumper, and pulling at the grille.

“And then when I was at the car dealership getting it fixed, I think a neighbor of mine was actually at the car dealership too with the same exact issue that lives like two streets down. So, I just think this is like a new problem that just started happening,” Rugh said.

One that comes with a high price tag. The estimate Rugh received from the repair shop was $2,700.

“It's extremely frustrating,” she said. “Thankfully, I have insurance and I have a deductible, so I don't have to pay the entire $2,000 but, you know, not everyone's going to be lucky enough to have that.”

There are steps people can take to prevent this from happening. Baltimore Police suggest the following tips to thwart thieves:

• Park vehicles in well-lit areas or under motion-detected lighting.
• Install motion-sensor security cameras in parking areas.
• Whenever possible, park in a garage or position the vehicle in a way that makes it difficult for would-be thieves to access the area where radar sensors are installed.
• Install anti-theft brackets designed to cover the sensor.
• Secure the sensor using tamper-resistant screws.

“I used to live in an apartment building and I didn't really care for the garage, but now I really wish I had one,” Rugh said.

In a city filled with streets lined with parked cars, Rugh said she’s speaking out in hopes her story will serve as a warning to others.

“I just think the community needs to be really vigilant,” she said.

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Residents living near the 2800 block of North Avenue are grappling with an illegal dumpsite that has transformed their neighborhood into a hazardous zone.

The backyards of abandoned rowhouses have become junkyards filled with mountains of tires, broken furniture, and construction debris.

"If I see someone dumping, I report them all. This is ridiculous," one neighbor said.

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The area, characterized by abandoned rowhouses, has become a prime target for illegal dumping due to its isolation.

"It's an easier spot than a lot of other places 'cause there's no one around to say anything," a neighbor explained.

The lack of police presence and city crew activity has exacerbated the issue, with heaps of debris attracting wild animals and posing a fire hazard.

"We've got tires... if a fire were to take place, it would just burn down everything," community activist Kenny Ebron warned.

Despite a city cleanup effort four months ago, the trash continues to accumulate faster than it can be cleared.

"Nobody wants to live around a whole bunch of trash," a neighbor lamented, adding that the situation could soon block alleyways.

Frustration with city leadership is palpable, with residents criticizing officials for neglecting the problem.

"It's the leaders who run the city who's not paying attention to stuff like this," Ebron said.

The illegal dumpsite has become an entrenched issue, leaving many residents feeling trapped.

"Poor people in the area who don't have money to move out. They just deal with it," Ebron said.

MARYLAND (WBFF) — Some Maryland lawmakers are calling for action to address what they describe as serious gaps in the state's voter rolls. As the legislative session begins Wednesday, Jan. 14 in Annapolis, members of the Maryland Freedom Caucus are pushing for new laws to secure voter registration.

Delegate Ryan Nawrocki, a Republican from Baltimore County, says he and other supporters have drafted and filed legislation requiring documented proof of citizenship for voter registration and mandating audits of voter rolls. Nawrocki expressed concern over the current system, which he described as an "honor system" for verifying citizenship.

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The issue gained attention after the ICE arrest in September of Ian Roberts, an illegal immigrant from Guyana who once lived in Maryland and was a registered voter in the state for years.

"I'm extremely concerned when I hear that an illegal immigrant has not only been on the voter rolls in Maryland, but he's also actually requested absentee ballots," Nawrocki said.

Nawrocki emphasized the importance of securing voter rolls, stating, "One vote that's cast improperly, is too many."

Despite the Maryland State Board of Elections confirming Roberts never voted, the Freedom Caucus insists on implementing more safeguards.

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — When lawmakers return to Annapolis next week for the start of the 2026 legislative session, the agenda will already be filled with priorities.

Expected to top the list – deciding how to close the $1.4 billion budget deficit. Some lawmakers, largely Republican, have floated and pushed ideas for cuts and scaling back spending.

“But it's, you can't keep going down the same path we're going because it's, our state budget is ballooning,” Sen. JB Jennings, R-Baltimore and Harford Counites, said during a previous interview with FOX45 News.

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Jennings said programs, like a scholarship for childcare in Maryland, should be reviewed to determine eligibility requirements.

“It's a great program. I'm not saying stop it. I'm not saying defund it,” he said. “I'm just saying, let's look at it.”

Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey argued solving the budget pitch isn’t an easy solution, noting the General Assembly needs to be “in a position to fix the structure, not just the symptoms.”

Education spending will likely be central to many efforts to cut down on the deficit, especially when it comes to the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

“In the out years, when the Blueprint gets fully funded, we’re not just looking at a $1.6 billion deficit this year, we’re looking at $3 billion, $3.5 billion, almost $4 billion in the next three or four years when Blueprint gets funded,” Sen. Hershey said.

Gov. Wes Moore announced plans this week to pour more money into the education budget, calling for a $373.8 million boost. The proposal has gotten some criticism, raising questions about funding sources.

“With fewer students enrolled in our public schools, taxpayers deserve a clear explanation for why education spending must continue to rise at a pace that far outstrips enrollment, outcomes, and the state’s ability to pay,” Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready said, via news release. “This is not a sustainable model, and it puts Maryland’s long-term fiscal health at risk.”

When asked about funding while making the announcement, Gov. Moore said there wouldn’t be tax increases in his budget proposal, but has yet to provide specific details about funding sources.

Education and the budget won’t be the only issues lawmakers are expected to debate. Rising energy prices, affordability and housing prices, immigration policy, and concerns about protections for foster care children are areas where legislation sparking debate could emerge.

The first day of the 90-day session is Jan. 14, 2025.