Newark Woman Charged With First Degree Robbery

The Newark Police Department has released details surrounding a story we first brought you last week.

On April 10, 2019, at approximately 5:36, Newark Police Officers responded to Home Depot located at 1000 Suburban Drive in reference to a shoplifting in progress, according to Newark Police Spokesman M/Cpl William Smith.

Smith said prior to the officers’ arrival, the female suspect displayed a knife towards an employee, immediately after fleeing the store. A plainclothes officer responding to the scene observed a female matching the description and walking away from the area carrying a knife.

[media-credit name=”We have blurred the vehicle because we believe it is an undercover police vehicle or the personal vehicle of an officer.” align=”aligncenter” width=”800″][/media-credit]

The officer attempted to stop the woman, later identified as Sherri Phillips 44, of Newark. Phillips brandished the knife in the direction of the officer, however, she eventually complied with the officer’s commands and dropped the knife, according to Smith.

Officers determined that there were two other suspects related to the shoplifting still outstanding, according to Smith. Raymond Strong, 59, and Brian Dunlap, 45, both of Elkton, Maryland, were located as they were attempting to exit the shopping center.

Phillips, Strong and Dunlap were all transported back to Newark Police Headquarters where they were charged with the following offenses:

Sherri Phillips


Robbery First Degree
Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony x 2
Resisting Arrest with Force/Violence
Carry Concealed Deadly Weapon
Phillips was arraigned via video through Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Baylor Women’s Correctional Facility in lieu of $74,000 secured bail.

Raymond Strong


Carry Concealed Deadly Weapon
Strong was arraigned via video through Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on $1000 unsecured bail.

Brian Dunlap


Carrying Concealed Deadly Weapon
Criminal Impersonation
Resisting Arrest
Possession of a Controlled Substance
Dunlap was arraigned via video through Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on $1520 unsecured bail.

Breaking Report

Newark – Shortly before 6:00 Wednesday evening Newark Police Officers were dispatched to the Home Depot on Suburban Drive for reports of shoplifting in progress.

As officers responded to the scene they were able to bring a female suspect into custody. Officers learned that two other suspects were outstanding and began a search of the area.

Officers found one suspect meeting the description that was broadcast over police radio inside a pickup truck.

The third suspect was taken into custody in front of the ACME grocery store a short distance away in the Suburban Plaza shopping center.

This is a developing story.

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First State Update's Delaware editorial team covers New Castle County, Kent County and Sussex County breaking news, political news, and general news stories. We bring the reader the latest news from the Wilmington, Newark, Dover, Rehoboth Beach and all point in between. If you have news to share, email us at [email protected].

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