State Police Arrest Four Men for Burglary Spree in New Castle County

Date Posted: Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

Graphic titled “News Release New Castle County” featuring a Delaware State Police Chevrolet Tahoe parked with Wilmington skyline and train station in the background. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left with New Castle County highlighted in blue, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

The Delaware State Police have made four arrests connected to a string of crimes in New Castle County in January. The suspects are 24-year-old Damon Hancock of Wilmington; 46-year-old Elwood Hunter of Smyrna; 34-year-old Jerree Richardson of Middletown; and 25-year-old Malik Winters of Claymont.

On January 7, 2026, troopers responded to the Four Points by Sheraton at 56 South Old Baltimore Pike in Newark for a report of a stolen vehicle. Troopers learned that at approximately 1:00 a.m., a Ford Transit van belonging to the hotel was stolen from the parking lot. During the following week, the four men used the stolen vehicle to commit two burglaries at reshipping companies on Quigley Boulevard and Bellcor Drive in New Castle. In both cases, the Ford Transit was driven through the garage doors into the businesses, where the four suspects then stole, in total, approximately $169,000 in goods and caused approximately $14,000 in damages. Detectives learned that the Newport Police Department was investigating a similar incident that occurred on January 9, 2026, within its town limits.

The Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit assumed the case and learned that a Honda sedan with Pennsylvania registration and a Chrysler minivan with Kentucky registration were also connected to the burglaries. A computer inquiry showed that the Chrysler was a rental and that it had been rented by Hunter. Additionally, on January 14, 2026, the stolen Ford Transit van was located in Chester, Pennsylvania, by the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division (PA).

While detectives continued to investigate, on January 18, 2026, at approximately 12:40 a.m., troopers were dispatched to Caroll Drive in New Castle for a report of a burglary at another reshipping company. The owner reported that four suspects, using a white van, drove through the door, stole approximately $1,000 in goods, and caused approximately $5,000 in damages.

The suspects left the scene before troopers could arrive, but shortly thereafter, an officer from Newport Police Department spotted the involved Ford Econoline van, which had been reported stolen from Pennsylvania, in their jurisdiction and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The van failed to stop, and a pursuit ensued, ending in the City of Wilmington where all four suspects ran from the vehicle. There, with the assistance of Newport and Wilmington Police Departments, Hancock and Richardson were taken into custody without incident.

Hancock was taken to Troop 2, where he was charged with the following offenses, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $67,000 cash bond.

Mugshot of Damon Hancock

Theft Where the Property Value is $100,000 or More (Felony)
Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony) – 3 Counts
Burglary Third Degree (Felony) – 3 Counts
Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony) – 3 Counts
Theft $1500 or Greater (Felony)
Attempted Theft $1500 or Greater (Felony)
Theft of a Motor Vehicle (Felony)
Criminal Mischief $5000 or More (Felony) – 3 Counts
Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony) – 4 Counts
Theft Under $1500

Richardson was taken to Troop 2, where he was charged with the following offenses, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $75,000 cash bond.

Mugshot of Jerree Richardson

Theft Where the Property Value is $100,000 or More (Felony)
Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony) – 3 Counts
Burglary Third Degree (Felony) – 3 Counts
Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony) – 3 Counts
Theft $1500 or Greater (Felony)
Attempted Theft $1500 or Greater (Felony)
Theft of a Motor Vehicle (Felony)
Criminal Mischief $5000 or More (Felony) – 3 Counts
Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony) – 4 Counts
Theft Under $1500

Through further investigation, Hunter and Winters were identified as the remaining suspects, and a warrant was issued for their arrest.

On February 25, 2026, the Wilmington Police Department took Winters into custody for an unrelated matter, and he was charged with the following offenses, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $77,500 cash bond

Mugshot of Malik Winters

Theft Where the Property Value is $100,000 or More (Felony)
Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony) – 3 Counts
Burglary Third Degree (Felony) – 3 Counts
Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony) – 3 Counts
Theft $1500 or Greater (Felony)
Attempted Theft $1500 or Greater (Felony)
Theft of a Motor Vehicle (Felony)
Criminal Mischief $5000 or More (Felony) – 3 Counts
Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony) – 4 Counts
Theft Under $1500

On February 27, 2026, troopers took Hunter into custody during a traffic stop in Wilmington. He was charged with the following offenses, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $97,000 cash bond.

Mugshot of Elwood Hunter