Juvenile Charged Following Theft of Multiple Vehicles

On December 18, 2022, at about 0713 hours, Newark Police received a report of a vehicle stolen from a residence in the 1200-block of Janice Drive.  In addition, officers received a report of a second vehicle stolen from a driveway in the 400-block of Douglas D Alley Drive.

As officers began to investigate these theft reports, officers were notified that the location of one of these vehicles was being tracked by the vehicle’s built-in tracking system.  Officers were directed to the area of Keith Street in Newark.  Newark officers stopped two suspects leaving the vehicle.  One suspect fled on foot and was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.  He was identified as a 16 year-old juvenile from Wilmington.  The other suspect stopped at the scene and was detained by Newark Police.  Police continue to investigate his involvement in this incident.

During a search incident to arrest, the juvenile was found in possession of a handgun magazine and ammunition.  He is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.  During a track conducted by a New Castle County Police K-9, a firearm was located that had been discarded during the foot pursuit.

Further investigation by officers determined that credit cards belonging to the Douglas D Alley victim had been used in the early morning hours in the New Castle area.  Property taken from the Douglas D Alley vehicle was located in the vehicle stolen from Janice Drive and recovered on Keith Street, thereby linking the two vehicle thefts.

The vehicle taken from Janice Drive was recovered on Keith Street, heavily damaged.  The vehicle stolen from Douglas D Alley Drive has not been recovered.  That vehicle is a white 2015 BMW 435 with Delaware tag 237285.

The juvenile was transported to Newark Police headquarters where he was charged with:

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
• Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited
• Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited
• Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon
• Theft of a Motor Vehicle (2 counts)
• Criminal Mischief Over $5,000
• Conspiracy Second Degree
• Unlawful Use of a Payment Card (3 counts)
• Resisting Arrest

The juvenile appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video.   He was ordered to be held in default of $62,100 cash bail and was turned over to the custody of the New Castle County Detention Center in Wilmington.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Cpl. A. Vari at (302) 366-7100 x. 3486 or avari@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.