Newark Police are investigating an attempted robbery across the street from police headquarters.
This morning, Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at about 1040, Newark Police responded to the parking lot of the Park ‘n Shop shopping center on South Main Street for a report of an attempted robbery, according to Lt Andrew Rubin.
Rubin said responding officers contacted a victim who was with her vehicle. The victim reported that she was inside a business at the shopping center when a male suspect removed her vehicle keys that were on a table in the business. The suspect fled with the keys and gave the keys to a second suspect who was waiting outside. The second suspect used the keys to start the victim’s vehicle and the victim then entered the back seat of the vehicle.
A witness to the incident approached the car to help the victim and was struck in the face by one of the suspects, according to Rubin. Both suspects then fled the area on foot towards Apple Road with a third suspect who was present at the scene.
During this incident, the witness who was punched suffered a minor injury and was treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel but declined transportation to a hospital. The owner of the vehicle did not suffer any injury.
Since the report of this incident, Newark Police Detectives have worked with detectives from several other Delaware police agencies who were investigating similar crimes. On April 16, 2021, the suspects in this incident were taken into custody by Delaware State Police after they were found operating a vehicle stolen in a similar crime, said Rubin.
Newark Police charged a 16-year-old male from Wilmington, a 16-year-old male from New Castle, and a 14-year-old male from Wilmington with the following offenses related to this incident:
Attempted Robbery Second Degree
Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony
Conspiracy Second Degree
The 14-year-old male was additionally charged with one count of Assault Third Degree. All three defendants appeared before a Justice of the Peace Court and were ordered to be held at the New Castle County Detention Center in default of cash bail ranging from $18,000 – $19,000.
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