UPDATE – Suspects Identified – Four Vehicle Thefts Plus an Attempted Vehicle Theft In Less Than 48 Hours

Newark Police Detectives have charged two and obtained warrants for a third suspect in recent incidents of vehicle theft and related offenses.

After review of surveillance video, follow-up on the use of a credit card stolen from a vehicle on East Main Street and other investigative measures, Newark Police Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Paul W. Gore (AKA Paul W. Havener), 31, of Wilmington.  The warrant charges Gore with the following offenses:

• Identity Theft
• Burglary Third Degree (3 counts)
• Theft Over $1,500
• Theft of a Motor Vehicle (3 counts)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (2 counts)
• Unlawful Use of a Payment Card

The charges result from the June 29th vehicle theft on South College Ave, June 30th attempted vehicle theft on East Main Street and June 30th vehicle theft on East Delaware Avenue.

Gore is currently incarcerated in a Delaware prison on unrelated charges and will be processed on his charges in the near future.

Gore was found to have conspired to commit these crimes with Joseph Knapp, 23, of West Chester, PA.  Knapp’s warrant charges him with the following offenses:

• Identity Theft (2 counts)
• Burglary Third Degree (4 counts)
• Theft Under $1,500 (3 counts)
• Theft of a Motor Vehicle (2 counts)
• Unlawful Use of a Payment Card (2 counts)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (2 counts)
• Theft By False Pretense

The charges in Knapp’s case result from the June 29th vehicle theft on South College Ave, June 30th attempted vehicle theft on East Main Street, June 30th vehicle theft on East Delaware Avenue and July 1st theft from a vehicle parked on East Main Street.  Knapp was also found in the vehicle stolen from East Delaware Avenue when it was recovered in Philadelphia, PA on July 1, 2020.

On July 9, 2020, Knapp was taken into custody without incident when he was observed in a shopping center in Newark.  He appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video and was ordered to be held in default of $20,000 secured bail.  Knapp was turned over to the custody of the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.

Additionally, Newark Police took Alexandra Taylor, 33, of Wilmington, into custody.  Taylor was with Knapp at the time of his arrest.  Detectives recognized Taylor from surveillance video, as she had been seen using a credit card stolen from a vehicle on East Main Street on June 28, 2020.  Taylor was charged with:

• Identity Theft
• Unlawful Use of a Payment Card
• Theft By False Pretense Under $1,500
• Receiving Stolen Property Under $1,500

Taylor appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video and was released on her own recognizance.

The other crimes detailed in the original press release are still under investigation. Anyone with information about those incidents is asked to contact Det. W. Anderson at (302) 366-7100 x. 3469 or wanderson@newark.de.us.  Additional methods for providing information to Newark Police can be found on our tips page, where reward information may also be available.

The original press release can be found here.