The Delaware State Police is investigating a series of armed robberies that have targeted delivery trucks in New Castle County.
Over the past few months, multiple incidents have occurred where suspects armed with firearms have targeted trucks delivering products for Wawa convenience stores. While no injuries have been reported so far, law enforcement is working to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for these crimes. The Delaware State Police are urging the community to come forward with any information that could assist in solving these cases.
The most recent armed robbery took place on June 7, 2023, at a Wawa located at 7 East Commons Boulevard in New Castle. At approximately 11:16 p.m., troopers responded to a report of an armed robbery.
Officials said two suspects approached a delivery truck parked next to the store while a 27-year-old male victim was in the trailer unloading and delivering products for Wawa. One of the suspects, described as a black male wearing dark clothing and a mask, entered the trailer and displayed a firearm, forcing the victim to comply. The suspect began removing cartons of cigarettes from the trailer. Meanwhile, the second suspect confronted the driver’s assistant, a 23-year-old male, displaying another firearm. The suspects then fled the scene in a dark-colored sedan, taking an undisclosed number of cigarette cartons.
This recent armed robbery follows a pattern of similar incidents targeting Wawa delivery trucks in the area. On May 17, 2023, another robbery occurred at a Wawa located on Wrangle Hill Road in the Bear area. In that incident four suspects approached a parked tractor-trailer while a 37-year-old male victim was inside, unloading and delivering products. Armed with firearms, the suspects entered the trailer, threatened the victim, and demanded cartons of cigarettes. A driver’s assistant, a 28-year-old male, returned to the truck from the Wawa during the robbery and also faced the suspects’ weapons. The robbers made their escape in two dark-colored sedans, taking numerous boxes of cigarettes.
Another incident occurred at a Wawa on Limestone Road in Wilmington on April 21, 2023. Two suspects forcibly entered a delivery truck while two men, aged 58 and 23, were unloading it. The armed suspects overpowered the victims and stole multiple boxes of cigarettes from the trailer.
Two months prior, on March 20, 2023, an armed robbery took place at a Wawa on New Linden Hill Road. A 40-year-old male truck driver was unloading merchandise into the store when an unknown suspect entered the truck and began stealing cases of cigarettes. Another unidentified male suspect assisted in loading the stolen items into a dark sedan. When the driver returned outside, the second suspect brandished a handgun, forcing him to step away while the culprits made their escape.
Law enforcement is actively investigating all of the incidents but has not publicly linked them together. The Delaware State Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and apprehending the individuals responsible.