[media-credit name=”Charles Mason / Photo: DSP” align=”alignnone” width=”452″]
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New Castle – Delaware State Police have arrested an Elsmere man responsible for the theft of multiple vehicles, occurring over the span of five weeks, one of which was a carjacking, with children in the vehicle, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Michael Austin.
Austin said on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at approximately 11:08 p.m., Troopers responded to the Wawa, located at 4000 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, for a vehicle theft that had just occurred. Upon arrival at the scene Troopers were advised by a Wawa employee, that he had started his 2013 Hyundai Elantra, to warm it up, and then went back inside the store to finish his shift, leaving the vehicle unlocked and running. Upon returning to the lot a few minutes later, he discovered the vehicle was gone.
While searching the area, Troopers were alerted by an area resident, to a suspicious person, who was on foot in the area of Memorial Drive and Karlin Drive. Troopers located the subject, who was later identified as Charles R. Mason IV, 44, of Elsmere, and took him in to custody without incident, according to Austin. With information provided by another witness the Hyundai was also recovered in the Comcast parking lot, located at 4008 N. DuPont Highway.
Through various investigative leads and measures, Troopers were able to link Mason to multiple vehicle thefts, to include a carjacking, as well as other related crimes, that took place at the below listed locations on the specified dates, said Austin, Mason was also linked to vehicle thefts that occurred in both New Castle County Police and City of Wilmington Police jurisdictions, also listed below., added Austin.
12/2/2017: Wawa, 2030 Limestone Road, Wilmington
12/07/2017: Meineke, 1512 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington
12/11/2017: Steve’s Centerville Inn, 1204 Centerville Road, Wilmington
12/15/2017: Comegys Pub, 210 N. Union Street, Wilmington (Wilmington Police)
12/26/2017: Royal Farms, 3701 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington
12/26/2017: Joel’s Rest Stop, 3 Rock Avenue, Wilmington (New Castle County Police)
01/04/2018: Wawa, 2030 Limestone Road, Wilmington
01/04/2018: The Car Shop, 2205 Mitch road, Wilmington
01/08/2018: Wawa, 4000 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle
Mason was charged with 7 counts of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, 2 counts of Carjacking 1st degree, 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and 1 count each of Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Theft Under $1500.00, Criminal Trespass 2nd degree, and Criminal Mischief Under $1000.00.
Mason was arraigned and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $127,500.00 secured bond.
Anyone with further information regarding these incidents is asked to contact Cpl. R. Kunicki at Troop 6 by calling 302-633-5000. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com