The Delaware State Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a series of shoplifting incidents that took place at the Nike Factory store in Rehoboth Beach.
Officials said the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Maicol Matias-Peña from Bridgeton, New Jersey, was apprehended following a thorough investigation into the thefts that occurred in late May and June 2023. The stolen merchandise, which consisted of 37 pairs of sneakers, amounted to nearly $4,000 in value police said.
The initial incident occurred on May 31, 2023, at approximately 7:05 p.m., when the Delaware State Police received a report of a shoplifting incident at the Nike Factory store located at 36698 Bayside Outlet Drive. According to the gathered information, two individuals entered the store earlier that day and covertly concealed 28 pairs of shoes within two shopping bags before calmly leaving the premises without making any attempt to pay for the items according to police.
Police said the same two suspects returned to the Nike outlet on June 29, 2023, and shoplifted an additional nine pairs of sneakers.
The Delaware State Police launched an investigation. Surveillance video and images from both shoplifting incidents allowed Detectives to identify Matias-Peña as one of the suspects according to police.
On July 15, 2023, Matias-Peña was taken into custody by the New Jersey State Police and later extradited to Delaware on July 27. Upon arriving at Troop 7, he faced a series of charges related to the shoplifting incidents, including felony shoplifting (over $1,500), shoplifting (under $1,500), and organized retail crime.
Maicol Matias-Peña appeared before Justice of the Peace Court 3, where he was granted conditional release on $2,000 unsecured bond pending further legal proceedings.