The Delaware State Police arrested 18-year-old Ronald Alberts of Seaford, Delaware, for stealing a church van early Friday morning.

On April 19, 2024, at approximately 1:52 a.m., a trooper on patrol saw a white Dodge passenger van swerving on Concord Road in the area of Church Road near Seaford. The trooper pulled the van over on Concord Pond Road and spoke to the driver, identified as Ronald Alberts. A computer check found that the van belonged to a local church. A representative of the church was contacted, and it was learned that the van was stolen from the church parking lot. Alberts was arrested for stealing the van.

Alberts was taken to Troop 5, where he was charged with the below crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and released on a $2,400 unsecured bond.

• Theft of a Motor Vehicle (Felony)
• Criminal Trespass 3^rd Degree
• Driving without a Valid License
• Numerous Traffic Offenses

Delaware State Police arrested 66-year-old Henry Williams, of Bridgeville, Delaware, for selling a stolen car following a vehicle theft investigation that began last week in Bridgeville.

On April 12, 2024, at approximately 11:32 a.m., troopers investigated a report of a vehicle theft from a property on the 4600 block of Dublin Hill Road in Bridgeville. Troopers learned the victim’s gray 2004 Ford Taurus had been parked on his friend’s property with the friend’s permission since 2021. On April 11, 2024, the victim observed the car was no longer on the property, and his friend, identified as Henry Williams, was unable to provide the whereabouts of the car. Through investigative means, Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Detectives discovered Williams falsely claimed to be the owner of the Taurus and sold it to a car dealer in Laurel on April 10, 2024. Subsequently, detectives obtained a warrant for Williams’ arrest.

On April 17, 2024, Williams turned himself in at Troop 5, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and released on his own recognizance.

• Selling Stolen Property Valued at Over $1,500 (Felony)
• Theft of a Motor Vehicle (Felony)
• Theft by False Pretense
• Falsifying Business Records

Delaware State Police arrested 29-year-old Nyejierra Drummond of Wilmington, Delaware, for an armed robbery that occurred last week at a Kohl’s in Wilmington.

On April 9, 2024, at approximately 11:37 a.m., troopers responded to Kohl’s, located at 4437 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, for a report of a robbery. The preliminary investigation revealed a Kohl’s employee approached a black female suspect that he recognized from previous shopliftings. The suspect began walking out of the store as the employee approached her. Once outside, the suspect turned around, pulled out a handgun from her purse, and threatened to kill the employee. The suspect then walked back into the store, stole over $1,300 worth of merchandise, and fled in an unknown direction.

Through investigative means and with the assistance of Delaware Probation and Parole, Delaware State Police Troop 2 Robbery Detectives developed probationer Nyejierra Drummond as the suspect involved in the robbery and obtained a warrant for her arrest. On April 15, 2024, Drummond was taken into custody without incident by Probation and Parole and transported to Troop 2. Drummond was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Delores J. Baylor Womens Correctional Institution on a $66,000 cash bond.

• Robbery First Degree (Felony)
• Aggravated Menacing (Felony)

The Delaware State Police arrested 47-year-old Samuel Etheridge of Norristown, Pennsylvania, for DUI and gun charges on Sunday morning in Wilmington.

On April 14, 2024, at approximately 7:39 a.m., troopers were called for a report of an unresponsive driver who had stopped at the stop sign located on Ramsey Road, at the intersection of Thompsons Bridge Road. Upon arriving, troopers contacted the sole occupant of a maroon Acura, identified as Samuel Etheridge, who showed signs of impairment. While he was being taken into custody, a trooper saw a handgun on the driver’s seat in plain sight. Etheridge was transported to Troop 1 where he completed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. A computer check revealed the loaded gun had been reported as stolen by the Richland Township Police Department in 2006. The computer inquiry showed Etheridge is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm and/or ammunition. He was charged with the below crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $77,000 cash bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited (Felony)
• Receiving a Stolen Firearm (Felony)
• Driving a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol
• Possession of a Firearm While Under the Influence
• Traffic Offenses

Delaware State Police arrested four teenagers after a high-speed pursuit through multiple jurisdictions in Sussex County Saturday evening.

On April 13, 2024, at approximately 7:21 p.m., a silver Honda CRV with temporary Delaware registration fled from a traffic stop initiated by Bethany Beach Police Department. Troopers spotted the same vehicle speeding northbound on Coastal Highway near Fred Hudson Road moments later. Despite attempts to pursue the car, troopers discontinued the chase due to safety concerns arising from the excessive speed. The vehicle, which was later discovered to be reported stolen within the Dover Police Department’s jurisdiction, proceeded through Dewey Beach before turning eastbound onto Silver Lake Drive towards Rehoboth Beach.

Assistance from the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit enabled continuous monitoring of the vehicle from the sky until it eventually crashed near Olive Avenue and the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. Subsequently, all four suspects were observed fleeing the scene on foot. Delaware State Police, with the assistance of the Dewey Beach Police Department and Rehoboth Beach Police Department, apprehended the suspects a short time later near the Henlopen Hotel in Rehoboth Beach.

Further investigation revealed a firearm within easy reach of where the suspects had been seated inside the vehicle. No citizens were injured during this incident. All suspects, confirmed to be teenagers, were taken into custody and transported to Troop 7, where they were charged with multiple crimes:

A 15-year-old was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and committed to Stevenson House Detention Center on a $12,500 secured bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Possession of a Deadly Weapon Persons Under 18 (Felony)
• Possession of a Weapon with a Removed, Altered or Obliterated Serial Number (Felony)
• Possession of Ammunition by a Person Under 18 (Felony)
• Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500 (Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest

This suspect was identified as the driver and subsequently charged with multiple traffic violations by additional local law enforcement agencies.

A 17-year-old was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and committed to Stevenson House Detention Center on a $17,000 secured bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Possession of a Deadly Weapon Persons Under 18 (Felony)
• Possession of a Weapon with a Removed, Altered or Obliterated Serial Number (Felony)
• Possession of Ammunition by a Person Under 18 (Felony)
• Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500 (Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest

Another 15-year-old was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and committed to Stevenson House Detention Center on a $17,000 secured bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Possession of a Deadly Weapon Persons Under 18 (Felony)
• Possession of a Weapon with a Removed, Altered or Obliterated Serial Number (Felony)
• Possession of Ammunition by a Person Under 18 (Felony)
• Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500 (Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest

A 14-year-old was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and committed to Stevenson House Detention Center on a $17,000 secured bond.

• Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Possession of a Deadly Weapon Persons Under 18 (Felony)
• Possession of a Weapon with a Removed, Altered or Obliterated Serial Number (Felony)
• Possession of Ammunition by a Person Under 18 (Felony)
• Receiving Stolen Property Over $1500 (Felony)
• Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest

Delaware State Police have arrested a 17-year-old student at Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown after drugs were found in his vehicle yesterday morning.

On April 9, 2024, at approximately 10:50 a.m., the School Resource Officer at Sussex Technical High School, located at 17099 County Seat Highway in Georgetown, was notified by school staff that there was an odor of marijuana coming from a student’s car. The student was working on his car as part of a class. The school staff searched the car and found marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The student was arrested for possession of approximately 5.79 grams of marijuana, approximately 21 grams of individually packaged marijuana, a metal scale, and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to Troop 4, where he was charged with the following crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3, and released to a guardian.

• Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

The Delaware State Police arrested 34-year-old Jennifer Barnes of Dover, Delaware, for the burglary of a Leipsic home last month.

On March 19, 2024, troopers were called to a home in the 200 block of Main Street in Leipsic for a burglary. When troopers arrived, they found an unknown suspect had entered the occupied home sometime overnight by pushing in a window on a screen door. Once inside, the suspect took the keys to a Dodge Ram truck. The suspect left the house and stole the truck, which has since been recovered. The investigation led detectives to Daniel Rholetter and Jennifer Barnes as the suspects in the burglary, and warrants were obtained for their arrest.

Rholetter was arrested on April 1, 2024. On April 9, 2024, Barnes was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where she was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Delores J. Baylor Correctional Institution on a $24,100 cash bond.

• Burglary 1^st Degree (Felony)
• Theft of a Motor Vehicle (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony)
• Criminal Mischief under $1,000

Delaware State Police arrested 22-year-old Robert Coombes of Dover, Delaware, for felony gun charges following a traffic stop on Saturday afternoon in Dover.

On April 6, 2024, at approximately 5:57 p.m., a trooper on patrol observed a white Volkswagen Jetta traveling at a high rate of speed on West Lebanon Road in the area of South State Street in Dover. A computer inquiry of the Jetta’s Delaware registration revealed it was expired. The trooper conducted a traffic stop, and made contact with the driver, identified as Robert Coombes. Troopers observed two black handgun magazines in plain view inside the Jetta, and a subsequent probable cause search of the car led to the discovery of a green Polymer 80 ghost gun concealed under the driver’s seat, 102 rounds of ammunition, and 3 handgun magazines (pictured below). Coombes was taken into custody without incident. A computer inquiry revealed Coombes does not have a concealed carry permit.

Coombes was taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $10,200 secured bond.

• Carrying a Concealed Firearm (Felony)
• Possession of Untraceable Firearm (Felony)
• Multiple Traffic Violations

Delaware State Police arrested 34-year-old George Brinkley of Dover, Delaware, for multiple drug offenses and resisting arrest following a traffic stop in Dover early this morning.

On April 6, 2024, at approximately 1:51 a.m., a trooper on patrol observed a white 2022 Chrysler Pacifica with Oklahoma registration traveling on President Drive in the area of Bay Road, Dover, at a high rate of speed. As the trooper traveled behind the Pacifica, he observed it fail to maintain its lane as it continued to travel at a high rate of speed. The trooper initiated a traffic stop as the Pacifica came to a stop in a residential driveway on President Drive. A black male driver and a black male passenger exited the van and began walking into the residence. The driver, later identified as George Brinkley, disregarded the trooper’s verbal commands to stop and attempted to close the residence’s door on the trooper. Brinkley then ran out of the residence and fled on foot eastbound on President Drive. After a brief foot pursuit, Brinkley was taken into custody without incident. A search of Brinkley’s person led to the discovery of $2,570 in his back pocket. Troopers subsequently conducted a search of the Pacifica, and discovered approximately 0.714 grams of heroin packaged in 102 baggies, approximately 17.9 grams of marijuana in a clear baggie, two MDMA pills, and one cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride pill.

A computer inquiry of Brinkley revealed his license is suspended. Brinkley was taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7, and released on a $12,552 unsecured bond.

• Possession with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession of Controlled Substance except Human Growth Hormone without Prescription – 2 counts
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Driving While Suspended
• Additional Traffic Violations

Delaware State Police arrested Cesar Alzate-Valencia, 37, of Elmhurst, New York, and Lina Martinez-Aristizabal, 31, of Corona, New York, for multiple Apple product thefts from vehicles that occurred in New Castle County.

Earlier this year, troopers investigated a theft from a vehicle at various locations throughout New Castle County on the following dates: January 17, 2024, January 27, 2024, and February 26, 2024. In each incident, the victims had just purchased Apple electronic products from the Apple store located inside the Christiana Mall at 125 Christiana Mall, Newark. The victims were then followed by the unknown suspects as they drove from the Christiana Mall to their next destination. Once the victims’ vehicle was unoccupied at the new destination, an unknown Hispanic male suspect gained access into the victims’ vehicle by using a pry bar-like tool to shatter one of the vehicle’s windows. After gaining access, the suspect stole the Apple products and fled in a different suspect vehicle for each incident.

Through investigative means, Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Detectives identified one of the suspect vehicles as a 2010 black Nissan Rogue with Mississippi registration. On April 1, 2024, detectives were notified the Nissan was parked at the Christiana Mall and conducted a traffic stop on the SUV. Troopers made contact with the driver, identified as Cesar Alzate-Valencia, and the passenger, identified as Lina Martinez-Aristizabal. Detectives further identified Alzate-Valencia as the unknown Hispanic male suspect involved in all three theft incidents, and Martinez-Aristizabal as the unknown Hispanic female suspect involved in the theft on February 26, 2024.

Both were taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop 2, where they were charged with multiple crimes.

Alzate-Valencia was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $16,500 secured bond.

• Burglary 3^rd Degree (Felony) – 3 counts
• Theft $1,500 or Greater (Felony) – 3 counts
• Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony) – 3 counts
• Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony) – 3 counts
• Criminal Mischief – 3 counts

Martinez-Aristizabal was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11, and committed to Delores J. Baylor Correctional Institution on a $7,500 secured bond.

• Burglary 3^rd Degree (Felony)
• Theft $1,500 or Greater (Felony)
• Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony)
• Possession of Burglar Tools (Felony)
• Criminal Mischief