Newark – Newark Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for Jeffrey L. Gruwell 42, of Townsend, for two counts of Receiving Stolen Property in reference to items that were stolen from vehicles on Kells Avenue between 4/25/17 and 4/26/17, according to NPD Spokesman Lt. Fred Nelson.
Nelson said Newark Police were made aware that Elsmere Police had contacted Gruwell on 5/2/17 and that he was linked to a vehicle with possible stolen property in it. The vehicle was reported to have been taken unlawfully from a victim in Smyrna and there was an active warrant for Gruwell’s arrest from Smyrna Police Department for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, according to Nelson.
Smyrna Police Department executed a search warrant on the vehicle and located the driver’s license of one of the victims from Kells Avenue and electronic equipment linked to a second victim from Kells Avenue, said Nelson.
Gruwell is currently incarcerated in James T. Vaughn Correctional Institution on unrelated charges. Detectives are continuing to investigate Gruwell’s involvement in the thefts.
This is the same individual Newark City Councilman Chris Hamilton was referring to in his May 8th posting on Nextdoor where he said the following,
As a follow-up from our discussion earlier regarding the recent vehicle break-ins; a suspect is in custody and will be charged with three thefts from vehicles on Kells Avenue from the night of April 25th into 26th. The suspect is also being charged with two thefts from vehicles on Duke Street on April 30th. We are also investigating him for the recent shed burglaries. The suspect is currently being held at the James T. Vaughn correction center on charges out of Smyrna.