Elsmere Man Charged with Residential Burglaries
During the summer of 2020, Newark Police investigated two burglaries at the same residence in the 200 block of Madison Drive.
In the first burglary, occurring in July, the resident reported that a firearm was stolen from his bedroom. There was no forced entry to the residence and the firearm was the only item missing.
In the second burglary at the same residence, which occurred in August, the same resident reported that electronics and cash were stolen from his bedroom. There was no forced entry to the residence.
Newark Police detectives began to investigate and found that the electronics taken in the second burglary had been sold to a pawn shop.
In November, 2020, Newark Police charged Jamal Whittlesey, 21, of Elsmere, with selling stolen property for his sale of the electronics to a pawn shop.
Through further investigation, detectives learned that Whittlesey had been in contact with another person who resides at the location of the burglary. During the course of the investigation, Detectives determined that Whittlesey instructed a witness to provide a false statement to police about Whittlesey’s involvement. Detectives subsequently linked Whittlesey to these burglaries.
On March 9, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued charging Whittlesey with the following crimes:
- Burglary Second Degree (2 counts)
- Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited
- Tampering with a Witness
- Theft of a Firearm
- Theft Over $1500
- Conspiracy Second Degree
- Selling Stolen Property
On March 11, 2021, Newark Police detectives took Whittlesey into custody without incident at his Elsmere residence. Whittlesey was transported to Newark Police headquarters where he appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #2 by video and was ordered to be held in default of $18,000 secured bail. Whittlesey was turned over to the custody of the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Det. A. Whitt at (302) 366-7100 x. 3483 or awhitt@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.
