Two Charged After Vehicle Theft & Pursuit; One Additional Suspect In Custody

On May 18, 2024, at about 0352 hours, a Newark Police Officer patrolling Elkton Road observed a Kia traveling on the wrong side of the roadway.  When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, it fled and stopped at a dead end. Multiple suspects fled from the vehicle. It was determined that this vehicle had just been stolen from a parking lot in the unit block of Thorn Lane and the vehicle had not yet been reported stolen to police.

The driver was caught within minutes by Newark officers and officers from the University of Delaware Police Department. This suspect was identified as David Ramirez-Chun, 18, of Cecilton, Maryland.

While checking the area, officers located a Hyundai parked in a parking lot on Elkton Road in the area where the suspects had last been seen. The vehicle was found to have been reported stolen from Elkton, MD.

Further investigation determined that Ramirez-Chun came to Newark in the Hyundai along with additional suspects and they then stole the Kia just before they were stopped by police. Based upon the investigation, warrants were issued for two of Ramirez-Chun’s co-conspirators – a 16 year-old male and a 15 year-old male, both from Maryland.

Ramirez-Chun was transported to Newark Police headquarters where he was charged with:

• Theft of a Motor Vehicle
• Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500
• Disregarding a Police Officer’s Signal
• Conspiracy Second Degree
• Resisting Arrest
• Criminal Mischief
• Traffic offenses

Ramirez-Chun appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video and was ordered to be held in default of $3,200 secured bail. He was turned over to the custody of the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.

On May 29, 2024, the 15 year-old male, who had been taken into custody in Baltimore, was extradited to Delaware. He was charged with:

• Theft of a Motor Vehicle
• Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500
• Conspiracy Second Degree
• Resisting Arrest
• Criminal Mischief

He appeared before New Castle County Family Court and was released on unsecured bail.

A third suspect, a 16 year-old male from North East, MD, is in custody in Maryland awaiting extradition to Delaware.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact M/Cpl C. McKennon at (302) 366-7100 x. 3491 or cmckennon@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.