$40K in eyewear, cigarettes, other items stolen from New Castle County businesses: Police

Delaware State Police have arrested a man accused of stealing over $40,000 in eyewear, various household goods and cigarettes through a string of shoplifting incidents in New Castle County.

A 33-year-old Newark man is facing dozens of charges, including 17 felony charges, for his alleged role in several shoplifting incidents between May 26 and June 28.

Delaware State Police arrested the Newark man on June 30 after responding to reports of shoplifting at a Kohl’s store on Rocky Run Boulevard in Brandywine Hundred. At the time, police received a report of two men and a woman fleeing toward Concord Pike after the incident.

Troopers recognized the man who was later taken into custody from “previous investigations.” Upon a search of the man – who is not being named because Delaware Online/The News Journal typically does not identify people charged for all but the most serious cases – police found over $2,000 of merchandise in his bag.

Authorities searched for the other two suspects, but they were not located.

State police said the Newark man was later identified as one of the suspects responsible for “18 shopliftings from multiple businesses throughout New Castle County over the last month.”

Those incidents occurred at Giant, Rite Aid, Royal Farms, Kohl’s, Sunglass Hut at Macy’s, Walgreens and Wawa locations, including several Kohl’s spots, and totaled more than $40,000.

Police said the descriptions of the suspects in these shopliftings changed as the weeks went by.

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Accomplice suspects have not been identified, police said.

Troopers continue to investigate these incidents and ask anyone who may have information to contact Cpl. J. Boyda at Troop 1 at (302) 761-6677. Information can also be sent privately through Facebook message on the Delaware State Police Facebook page. You can also contact Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.

The Newark man was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11 and sent to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $99,102 cash bond.