Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley

State Police Arrest Two Teens Found with a Stolen Motor Vehicle

Date Posted: Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023

News Release text with State Police vehicle in the background

The Delaware State Police arrested a 13-year-old male of Lewes, Delaware, and a 16-year-old male of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for possessing a stolen motor vehicle and resisting arrest after a foot pursuit Monday evening in Lewes. Subsequently, Sean Rodgers, 18, and Tonia Perkins, 18, both of Lewes, Delaware were arrested for hindering prosecution.

On July 31, 2023, at approximately 9:36 p.m., a trooper briefly observed a silver Kia Soul that was reported stolen earlier that day traveling on Nassau Commons Boulevard, Lewes. The area was canvassed, and the Kia, occupied by two suspects wearing ski masks, was seen traveling in the neighborhood of Whispering Pines. The suspects, later identified as a 13-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, fled on foot after abandoning the Kia on a dead-end street. Troopers found the 13-year-old suspect hiding in a stranger’s shed and took him into custody without incident. While searching the area for the 16-year-old suspect, troopers made contact with Sean Rodgers and Tonia Perkins at their residence on the 31000 block of Maple Court. The 16-year-old was eventually taken into custody after it was discovered Rodgers and Perkins repeatedly lied to troopers about the suspect hiding in their home.

Rodgers was taken into custody, and Perkins was advised there would be a warrant on file for her arrest at Troop 7. The 13-year-old, the 16-year-old, and Rodgers were taken to Troop 7 and charged with the following crimes:

13-year-old male: