Smyrna – The Delaware State Police have charged 26-year-old, Vincent M. Zimath of Clayton, with multiple felonies after he was apprehended by a resident while attempting to flee from the scene of a residential burglary, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Michael Austin.
Austin said on Thursday, December 12, 2019, at approximately 6:05 a.m., Troopers responded to a residence in the 1000 block of Massey Church Rd. in Smyrna for the report of a burglary in progress.
Upon arriving on scene they made contact with the caller/resident who was detaining Zimath. The property owner advised the Troopers that when he entered his vehicle to go to work he discovered that it had been ransacked and that property was missing. He also noticed that his detached garage had been entered and that additional property was missing from within.
After returning inside his residence to call 911 the resident heard his dogs barking in the backyard. When he went outside to check on them he observed a subject, later identified as Zimath, wearing all dark clothing and a ski mask and in possession of a large bag. After a brief struggle Zimath was successfully detained by the resident. It was ultimately determined that the bag contained an assortment of stolen power tools and other assorted property, said Austin.
Further investigation determined that Zimath had gained entry into multiple garages, pole barns, pool houses, and vehicles, associated with 5 separate residences along a two-block stretch of Massey Church Road, according to Austin. Taken from the various structures were power tools, hand tools, electronics, and other miscellaneous property.
Zimath was transported to Troop 2 where he was charged with the following:
Burglary 3rd Degree (12 counts)
Theft Greater than $1500.00 (3 counts)
Theft Less than $1500.00 (4 counts)
Attempted Theft Less than $1500.00 (3 counts)
Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree (2 counts)
Zimath was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 2 and then committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $43,500.00 secured bail.