A 30-year-old Wilmington man received a 28-year prison sentence for robbing more than a dozen convenience stores.
Kori Thomas pled guilty in April 2018 to 2 counts of Robbery First Degree and one count of Attempted Assault Second Degree. Thomas had been initially charged with robbing 13 convenience stores throughout New Castle County in the spring of 2017.
A Superior Court judge sentenced Thomas as a habitual offender to 28 years in prison, followed by diminishing levels of probation.
Thomas is a habitual offender because of previous convictions on weapons and burglary offenses.
Deputy Attorneys General Timothy Maguire and Danielle Brennan prosecuted the case with support from DOJ social worker Crystal Pitts and paralegal Julie Caputo.
Original Story
Newark – Delaware State Police Robbery Unit detectives have arrested a New Castle man and charged him in connection with a series of robberies which had been occurring over the past month, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale.
Hale said that on Monday, May 8, 2017, at approximately 8:30 p.m., troopers arrested Kori Thomas, 29, of New Castle, after he allegedly committed the armed robbery of the 7-11 located at 314 N. Union Street, Wilmington.
After the robbery, Thomas fled the area in a white Hyundai Sonata which was spotted by troopers on I-495 near US 13, New Castle. Troopers stopped the vehicle and were able to take Thomas into custody without incident, according to Hale. Evidence linking him to the robbery of the 7-11 was located in the vehicle, added Hale.
Through further investigation, which included the review of video surveillance footage, Robbery Unit detectives were able to link Kori Thomas to a string of armed robberies which had been occurring in New Castle County since the middle of April, said Hale. In each robbery, Thomas wound enter the targeted business, confront a sales clerk, and display a handgun. He would then demand and receive money from the cash registers before exiting the store and fleeing the area. There were no injuries.
Detectives said they were able to link Thomas to the following robberies:
7-11, 284 Christiana Road, New Castle, Friday, April 14, 2017.
7-11, 4865 Governor Printz Boulevard, Wilmington, Sunday, April 16, 2017.
Exxon, 4600 Stanton-Ogletown Road, Newark, Monday, April 17, 2017.
BP, 1713 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, Saturday, April 22, 2017.
Manor Park Liquors, 1405 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, Tuesday, April 25, 2017.
BP, 2038 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, Sunday, April 30, 2017.
7-11, 284 Christiana Road, New Castle, Sunday, April 30, 2017.
Thomas was charged by detectives with six counts of Robbery 1st Degree, Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, six counts of Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony, three counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited. He was arraigned at JP Court 11 and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution in default of $366,000.00 cash bail.
