Delaware State Police arrested a Wilmington woman Sunday after shoplifting incident.
Troopers were called at about 10:30 a.m. on May 17, 2026, to the Dollar Tree at 2103 Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington for a report that two employees had been pepper sprayed by a shoplifting suspect.
Troopers were given a description of the suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Janaia Wright, of Wilmington. She was located outside the business and taken into custody.
According to investigators, Wright placed store merchandise under two children who were seated in a stroller and wagon before attempting to leave without paying. When employees confronted her, police said Wright abandoned the merchandise and left the store with the children.
Police said Wright later returned after realizing she had dropped her cell phone during the incident. Investigators said she approached two employees and pepper sprayed them before fleeing. As she left, Wright allegedly knocked over a display, damaging merchandise.
One employee was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries, while another refused treatment.
Wright was taken to Troop 6 and charged with two felony counts of second-degree assault with a disabling chemical spray, shoplifting under $1,500, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal mischief under $1,000.
She was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released on a $5,600 unsecured bond.
