Rehoboth Beach- Delaware State Police arrested three individuals on Tuesday for felony shoplifting and additional charges. 

On September 15, 2020, at approximately 4:58 p.m., Delaware State Police were dispatched to The North Face, located at 36706 Bayside Outlet Drive, Rehoboth Beach, for a shoplifting in progress. A witness reported seeing 25-year-old Lavelle Comer of Wilmington, concealing clothing under his clothing in the store. Also in North Face with Comer was 51- year-old Reginald Willingham of Wilmington, and 31-year-old Latifah Willingham of New Castle. The witness observed Comer and L. Willingham enter The Children’s Place outlet before the three fled the outlets northbound on Coastal Highway in a black Ford Edge. A trooper responding to the scene observed the vehicle traveling northbound in the area of Coastal Highway and Old Landing Road. A traffic stop was initiated on the car, and it entered into the Anchorage Motel parking lot. The vehicle operator, later identified as L. Willingham, was instructed to turn the vehicle off multiple times by the trooper. She failed to comply and accelerated out of the parking lot toward Coastal Highway and then turned down a dead-end road before stopping. Once stopped, R. Willingham exited the vehicle’s passenger side and fled on foot into a nearby parking lot. L. Willingham and Comer were taken into custody without incident. Located inside Comer’s jacket pocket were wire cutters that are used to help cut and disable security tags. A search of the area was conducted for R. Willingham, and he was located hiding under a pine tree. He was taken into custody without incident.

An inventory search of the vehicle was conducted, and several large trash bags were located in the back seat and rear of the vehicle. The following merchandise was recovered inside the bags: 

• -The North Face: $3,975.00 worth of merchandise.
• -Under Armour: $771.90 worth of merchandise.
• -Calvin Klein: $70.00 worth of merchandise.
• -The Children’s Place: $532.45 worth of merchandise.
• -American Eagle: $967.25 worth of merchandise.
• -Old Navy: $1,069.62 worth of merchandise.
• -Carters: $760.00 worth of merchandise.
• -Michaels: $459.94 worth of merchandise.

Also located in the vehicle was a black fanny pack with drug paraphernalia inside that belonged to Comer.

The suspects were transported to Troop 7 where they were charged with the following crimes:

               Lavelle S. Comer

• Possession of Shoplifting Tools (Felony)
• Theft- Organized Retail Crime over $1,500 (Felony)
• Shoplifting over $1,500 (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Felony)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Criminal Mischief

Comer was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #3 and released on $3,000.00 unsecured bond.

Latifah Willingham

• Theft- Organized Retail Crime over $1,500 (Felony)
• Shoplifting over $1,500 (Felony)
• Disregard Police Officer Signal (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Felony)
• Criminal Mischief under $1,000
• Failure to have Insurance in Possession
• Expired License
• Expired Temporary Registration Plate
• Destruction Upon Expiration of Registration Plate
• Failure to have Registration Card in Possession
• Failure to have License in Possession

L. Willingham was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #3 and released on $4,000.00 unsecured bond.

Reginald Willingham

• Possession of Shoplifting Tools (Felony)
• Theft- Organized Retail Crime over $1,500 (Felony)
• Shoplifting over $1,500 (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Felony)
• Criminal Mischief
• Resisting Arrest

R. Willingham was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #3 and issued a $6,000.00 unsecured bond.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and are in need of assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit/Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll free hotline 1800 VICTIM-1. (1800 842-8461).  You may also email the unit Director at debra.reed@state.de.us.

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Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Heather Pepper

Released: 091620 1301

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