Troopers Arrest Two after Series of Thefts from Motor Vehicles

Presented by Public Information Officer Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale

Sussex County, DE- Delaware State Police have arrested a Rehoboth man and woman following a five month investigation into a series of thefts from vehicles which had been occurring along the Rt.1 corridor in Sussex County, DE.

Detectives arrested William J. Rodenbaugh, 23, of Rehoboth, on Wednesday, August 10, 2016, and charged him with approximately  127 criminal charges to including Burglary 3rd degree, Theft, and other related charges. He was arraigned at JP Court 3 and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution for lack of $555,050.00 cash bail.

Jaimie O’Connor, 31, was arrested on July 26, 2016, and charged with 2 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, 2 counts of Conspiracy 3rd Degree, 2 counts of Theft, 2 counts of Falsifying Business Records, and 2 counts of Selling Stolen Property. She was arraigned at JP Court 2 and released on $6000.00 unsecured bail.

From March of 2016 until last month, Delaware State Police had received numerous reports of thefts from vehicles along the Rt. 1 corridor in Sussex County from the Nassau Bridge south to the Canal Bridge, as well as in the Angola area. Some of the stolen items included IPod’s, jewelry, and loose change which had been left laying in plain view in unsecured vehicles. After numerous interviews and other investigative means, troopers were able to positively identify Rodenbaugh and O’Connor as the suspects who had been committing the thefts.

This case is still on-going at this time. Detectives have obtained property including knives, purses, gift cards, jewelry, and binoculars which has yet to be claimed. Anyone who may have had items stolen from their vehicles along the Rt. 1 corridor is asked to contact Detective Kristunas at 302-752-3856 or Detective Mills at 302-752-3800 in order to schedule an appointment to view the property.

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Released: 080216 1240

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