Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William D. Crotty

Three Suspects in Custody for Shoplifting Turned Armed Robbery in the Prices Corner Shopping Center

Date Posted: Monday, May 12th, 2025

News Release

The Delaware State Police have identified 28-year-old Austin McMasters, 31-year-old Brittany Stacy, and 26-year-old Tehya Dyer, all from North Carolina, as the suspects involved in an armed robbery stemming from a shoplifting that occurred in the Prices Corner Shopping Center in Wilmington on Thursday morning. All 3 suspects were taken into custody in Virginia Thursday night.

On May 8, 2025, at approximately 10:18 a.m., troopers responded to a report of a shoplifting turned robbery at Gabe’s, located at 3202 Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington. The preliminary investigation revealed 2 suspects, later identified as Austin McMasters and Brittany Stacy, entered Gabe’s, and filled 2 shopping carts with merchandise. The suspects then exited the store with the shopping carts full of unpaid merchandise, and began loading the stolen items into a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee. A Prices Corner Security employee was notified of the shoplifting, and confronted the suspects in the parking lot. During the confrontation, McMasters punched the employee in the face, before he retrieved a handgun from the Jeep, and pointed it at the employee. McMasters then entered the employee’s marked security vehicle, and fled from the parking lot. Simultaneously, Stacy fled in the Jeep, which was operated by a third suspect, identified as Tehya Dyer.

Through investigative means, Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Detectives developed McMasters, Stacy, and Dyer as the suspects involved in the robbery. Detectives subsequently obtained warrants for their arrests. Later that evening, McMasters, Stacy, and Dyer were taken into custody in Virginia, where they are now incarcerated and awaiting extradition to Delaware for multiple crimes.

Upon extradition to Delaware, McMasters will be charged with the crimes listed below.