Joint Investigation Leads to the Arrest of a Smyrna Man Following a String of Burglaries

Thomas Norris
Thomas Norris

 

Presented by Public Information Officer Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale 

New Castle, DE – Delaware State Police and the Smyrna Police Department have arrested a Smyrna, DE man following a string of burglaries and attempted burglaries he had committed since this past April.

On Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at approximately 7:30 a.m., State Troopers, with the assistance of officers from the Smyrna Police Department, apprehended Thomas Norris, 54, as he was exiting the Delasoft business, located at 92 Reads Way, New Castle, which he had just burglarized. Norris, who was in possession of a stolen laptop computer when he was apprehended, is suspected in the burglary or attempted burglary of nine businesses located throughout New Castle County and northern Kent County in both State Police and Smyrna Police jurisdictions. In each case, Norris would enter an unsecured office building and then force his way into separate businesses inside. He would then remove electronic items from the businesses before fleeing. State Police Burglary Unit detectives and the Smyrna Police Department began a joint investigation after noticing a trend in the style of burglaries, which began in April of 2016 in both State Police and Smyrna Police Department jurisdictions.

Through the course of the investigation, which included the review of video surveillance footage, investigators were able to identify Thomas Norris as the suspect. Norris was arrested and transported to Troop 2, Glasgow, where he was charged with 6 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, 2 counts of Attempted Burglary 3rd degree, Possession of Burglary Tools, 4 counts of Theft over $1500.00, Criminal Mischief, and Theft under $1500.00. He was arraigned at JP Court 2 and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution for lack of $29,500 secured bail.

Detectives linked Norris to the following burglaries:

  1. Gary Spritz, Esq., 3511 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Wednesday, April 20, 2016.
  2. Dover Downs, 3411 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Wednesday, April 20, 2016.
  3. Dr. Azarcon and Associates, 3411 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Thursday, April 21, 2016.
  4. Psychiatry Delaware, 1415 Foulk Road, Wilmington, Tuesday, April 26, 2016.
  5. Air Gas, 1521 Concord Pike, Wilmington, Wednesday, April 27, 2016.
  6. Fedele Office Building, 3101 Limestone Road, Wilmington, Friday, May 6, 2016.
  7. Spinal Health and Wellness, 3105 Limestone Road, Wilmington, Monday, May 9, 2016.
  8. Delasoft, 92 Reads Way, New Castle, Wednesday, June 8, 2016.

*Please contact the Smyrna Police Department for information regarding their charges.

Released: 060916 1515

-End-