Newark- The Delaware State Police are investigating a robbery that occurred inside of the Christiana Mall yesterday afternoon, according to Public Information Officer, Corporal/1 Jason Hatchell.
Hatchell said the incident occurred on August 07, 2020, at approximately 2:02 p.m., near the Apple store located inside of the Christiana Mall. Upon Trooper’s arrival, it was learned that three juveniles approached a 49-year-old victim of Woodside, New York, who had just exited the store carrying multiple bags containing Apple products.
One of the juveniles forcibly bumped into the victim and then attempted to pry the bag from her hands. After a struggle, the juvenile successfully took one of the bags and fled out of the mall, according to Hatchell. The victim’s brother, a 42-year-old male from Astoria, NY, chased after the three juvenile suspects. During the chase, one of the suspects displayed a folding knife and pointed it at the male victim.
The suspects ran to their vehicle in the mall parking lot and fled onto northbound I-95. A Trooper observed the suspect vehicle traveling northbound on I-95 in the area of Basin Road and initiated a traffic stop. The operator failed to stop and fled from Troopers. The pursuit continued northbound on I-95 at the exit to I-495, where the suspect lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a concrete barrier on the shoulder of the roadway. Three juvenile suspects fled from the vehicle into the woods.
With the assistance of the Delaware State Police Aviation, K9 units, and officers from Troopers, DRBA, NCCPD, and WPD searching the area, one 15-year-old juvenile suspect of Wilmington was taken into custody.
Radio reports from the scene indicated that after several hours Troopers were alerted by a bicyclist that a suspect was running along the Jack Markell Trail towards Wilmington. Arriving Troopers were alerted by Trooper 4 that the suspect was very far away from the Troopers. Troopers then commandeered two bicycles and were able to catch up with the suspect near the nature center. The juvenile was transported to a local hospital for injuries he sustained from the incident.
The victims refused medical treatment at the scene.
The juvenile suspect was charged with the following:
Robbery 2nd Degree (Felony)
Aggravated Menacing (Felony)
Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Felony)
Resisting Arrest
Breach of Release
The juvenile was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court #11 and issued $15,100.00 cash bond. Upon the juvenile’s release from the hospital, he will be committed to the New Castle County Detention Center.
There are currently two unidentified juvenile suspects still at large. There are no surveillance images available at this time.
