On January 25, 2019, Newark Police arrested John J. Nichols, 29, of New Castle, for the Exxon gas station robbery that occurred on January 17, 2019 on South College Avenue.  Through investigative means, including reviewing surveillance video and speaking with witnesses, a suspect vehicle was identified.  Nichols was then identified as the suspect in this robbery.  A warrant for his arrest was subsequently issued.

On January 25th, Newark Detectives executed a search warrant at Nichols’ residence and took him into custody without incident.

Nichols appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 in New Castle where he was charged with Robbery First Degree, Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony and Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon.  Nichols was issued a conditions of release bond guaranteed by financial terms secured by $27,000 cash only.  Nichols’ custody was turned over to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.

Original release: Armed Robbery at Exxon on South College Avenue

On Sunday January 20, 2019, at 2200 hours, Newark Police were dispatched to a report of a driver passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle at a red light at the intersection of South Main Street and Veterans Drive.  The driver had reportedly sat through multiple cycles of the light.

Upon the arrival of a Newark Officer, the driver was still passed out behind the wheel of the vehicle.  After he was awoken by the officer, the driver fled the scene at a high rate of speed.  The driver fled a short distance and abandoned the vehicle in the 100 block of Madison Drive.  Shortly thereafter, a resident in the 200 block of Madison Drive called Newark Police to report that there was a male in his basement.  Officers responded to the residence and took the male, who was hiding in the basement, into custody without incident.  There was no forced entry into the residence.

The male was identified as Benjamin Frampton, 32, of Newark.  Upon his arrest, he was found in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.  The vehicle that Frampton had been driving belonged to his employer and Frampton had taken the vehicle without permission.

Newark Police were assisted at the scene by a K-9 team from the New Castle County Police Department.

Frampton was charged with the following offenses:
Burglary Second Degree
Theft of a Motor Vehicle
Disregarding a Police Officer’s Signal
Resisting Arrest
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
DUI-Drugs
Criminal Mischief
Various other traffic offenses 

Frampton appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 in New Castle and was released on his own recognizance to appear in the New Castle County Court of Common Pleas at a later date.