New Castle County Police and Delaware State Police made separate arrests involving juveniles at the Christiana Mall on Saturday evening, following incidents that unfolded within an hour of each other.
At approximately 5:54 p.m., a New Castle County Police officer on patrol located a parked and unoccupied Nissan Rogue near the Target store at the mall. The vehicle had been reported stolen during a March 6 carjacking from Gull Turn in the Sparrow Run Townhouse community. While monitoring the vehicle, the officer observed a juvenile enter the driver’s seat. Officers immediately detained the individual, along with three other juveniles who were present. The three accompanying juveniles were later released without charges.
The suspect, identified as a 17-year-old male from Wilmington, was transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters. He was charged with one felony count of receiving stolen property over $1,500. The teen was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released on $1,500 secured bail.
Less than an hour later, at approximately 6:45 p.m., Delaware State Police responded to the Christiana Mall parking lot near JCPenney for a reported armed robbery. Troopers located a 17-year-old male matching the suspect description. The teen fled on foot, leading troopers across multiple lanes of Route 1 before he was taken into custody. A loaded handgun was recovered from his waistband.
The Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit determined that two victims were preparing to enter their vehicle when they were approached by the suspect and an unidentified accomplice. The 17-year-old displayed a handgun while the second suspect removed property from one of the victims. During the encounter, the armed suspect struck a 47-year-old man from Bridgeville in the head with the firearm. The victim declined medical treatment at the scene. The suspect then chased a second victim while pointing the firearm, but the individual was not injured.
The second suspect, described as a Black male between 20 and 24 years old, approximately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing between 160 and 170 pounds, fled the area. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, dark-colored jeans, and a black face mask. Investigators later determined the second suspect was unarmed.
The 17-year-old arrested in connection with the robbery was transported to Troop 6, where he was charged with multiple felony offenses, including first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person under 21, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, aggravated menacing, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, second-degree conspiracy, and resisting arrest. He was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families on $55,000 cash bail.
The investigation into the robbery remains ongoing as authorities continue to search for the second suspect.
