Troopers Investigate Attempted Robbery of Dollar General Store

Wilmington- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating the attempted armed robbery of a Wilmington area Dollar General store that occurred last night.

The investigation has determined that the incident occurred at approximately 9:53 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2016, as two male suspects entered the Dollar General located at 1402 E. Newport Pike, Wilmington. The suspects, one of which was armed with an unknown make and model handgun, approached the sales counter and demanded money from the store safe from two female employees. The employees, however, were unable to open the safe. Both suspects then exited the store and fled in an unknown direction. The employees were not injured.

The first suspect was described as an unknown race male. He was 6’00”-6’02” tall, weighed 170-190 lbs., and was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, and dark shoes. he was also armed with a gun.

The second suspect was also an unknown race male. He was 5’07”-5’09” tall, weighed 150-170 lbs., and was last seen wearing a black zip-up hooded jacket, jeans, and dark shoes.

There is no further physical or clothing description available. No video surveillance photos are available to be released at this time.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact the Robbery Unit at Troop 2 at 302-365-8566. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DSPNewsroom/ or Twitter at https://twitter.com/DEStatePolice. To find out more about how to get your community involved in the Nextdoor application, please click on the following link: https://nextdoor.com/.

Released: 113016 1620

-End-

Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale

Newark- Delaware State Police are currently investigating the armed robbery of a Newark area Cigarette Outlet store that occurred last night.

The initial investigation has determined that the incident occurred last night, Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at approximately 8:05 p.m., as a male suspect entered the Cigarette Outlet, located at 13 Salem Village Square, Newark. The suspect approached the sales counter where he confronted a male store employee. He then displayed an unknown make and model handgun and demanded money from the cash register. The employee complied with the suspect’s demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of money to him. The suspect then exited the store and fled in an unknown direction. The clerk was not injured.

The suspect was described as a black male with a large build. He was last seen wearing all dark clothing and had his face partially covered. There is no further physical or clothing description available and no video surveillance photos are available at this time.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact the Robbery Unit at Troop 2 at 302-365-8566. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DSPNewsroom/ or Twitter at https://twitter.com/DEStatePolice. To find out more about how to get your community involved in the Nextdoor application, please click on the following link: https://nextdoor.com/.

Released: 113016 1535

-End-

Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale

Port Penn- Delaware State Police have arrested a Wilmington man and charged him in connection with two residential burglaries which took place in Port Penn yesterday morning.

The investigation began at approximately 810 a.m. on Tuesday, November 29th, after Troopers were called to respond to a residence located in the unit block of N. Congress Street, Port Penn, in reference to a burglary in progress. Upon the arrival of the responding troopers, they entered the residence and located a male suspect, later identified as Michael J. Stolz, 30, of Wilmington, hiding in a laundry room. Troopers took Stolz into custody without incident.

As troopers were investigating the first burglary, they were contacted by the Kent County Regional Communications Center (Kentcom), who advised them that a second burglary had occurred at a home located in the 100 block of Merchant Street, Port Penn. After responding to the Merchant Street home troopers learned that a male suspect, who was later identified as Stolz, had entered the unoccupied home by climbing through an unlocked window. Stolz, however, fled from the house without removing any property.

Michael Stolz was arrested and charged with two counts of Burglary 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief, and Resisting Arrest. He was arraigned at JP Court 2 and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution in default of $11,500.00 cash bail.

Released: 113016 1445

###

Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale

Wilmington- Delaware State Police have arrested a second suspect and charged him in connection with his participation in two armed robberies that had occurred at a Wilmington Goodwill over the past two months.

On Tuesday, November 29th, troopers arrested Richard J. Martin, Jr., 14, without incident at a Wilmington area high school he attends after the School Resource Officer at the school recognized him from an earlier released suspect photograph.

Martin was transported to Troop 2 where he was charged with two counts of Robbery 1st Degree and two counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree. He was arraigned at the New Castle County Family Court and committed to the New Castle County Detention Center in default of $30,000.00 secured bail.

Released: 113016 1340

###

**Original Release**

Wilmington- Delaware State Police Robbery Unit detectives have arrested a Wilmington teen and are searching for a second suspect in connection with three armed robberies of an area Goodwill Store.

The investigation began on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at approximately 1:05 p.m., after troopers responded to the Goodwill located at 300 E. Lea Boulevard, Wilmington, for the report of a robbery which had just occurred. Upon their arrival, troopers learned that a male suspect had entered the business and produced a knife from his pocket. He then confronted a female clerk and demanded money and clothing from her. The clerk complied with the suspect’s demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of cash and clothes to him. The suspect then exited the business and fled in an unknown direction. There were no injuries.

On Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 3:40 p.m., the same suspect, along with a second male suspect, again entered the Goodwill. He then produced a large machete and confronted a female employee while the second suspect obtained a hoe from display and confronted a second employee. The suspects then demanded money from the cash register. The employees complied with the suspect’s demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of money to them. The suspects then fled from the store in an unknown direction. There were no injuries.

After conducting several interviews and examining physical evidence, troopers were able to positively identify Derrius Chisholm, 14, of Wilmington, as the suspect who had participated in both robberies. Robbery Unit detectives then obtained warrants charging Chisholm with two counts of Robbery 1st Degree, two counts of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, and Conspiracy 2nd Degree, however, efforts to locate Chisholm were unsuccessful.

On Friday, November 25, 2016 at approximately 3:52 p.m., Chisholm again entered the Goodwill and produced a machete. He then confronted a female employee and again demanded money from the cash register. The employee complied with Chisholm’s demands and turned over cash to him. As this was occurring, the male suspect who had participated in the October 15th robbery, remained outside of the store, acting as a lookout. Both suspects then fled the area in an unknown direction. Again there were no injuries.

A short time later, troopers located Derrius Chisholm at his residence and were able to take him into custody without incident. A subsequent search of the home was conducted at which time evidence linking him to the prior robberies was located.

Chisholm was arrested and transported to Troop 2 where in addition to the charges contained in the original warrant, he was charged with a third count of Robbery 1st degree, a third count of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, a second count of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony. He was arraigned at the New Castle County Family Court and committed to the New Castle County Juvenile Detention Center in default of $126,000.00 bail.

Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the second male suspect (pictured) who participated in two of the robberies. He is described as being 17-20 years of age, 5’06”-5’08” tall, and weighing 125-130 lbs.

If anyone has any information or knows the identity of the second suspect, they are asked to contact Det. Anthony Tenebruso at 302-365-8435. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Released: 112916 0715

-End-

Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale

Wilmington- Delaware State Police are currently investigating the armed robbery of a Wilmington area 7-11 that occurred early yesterday morning.

The initial investigation has determined that the incident occurred on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at approximately 12:16 a.m. as a male suspect entered the 7-11 located at 4865 Governor Printz Boulevard, Wilmington. The suspect then approached the sales counter where he displayed an unknown make and model handgun and confronted a male store clerk. He then demanded money from the cash register. The clerk complied with the suspect’s demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of money to him. The suspect then exited the store and was last seen fleeing on foot towards Rysing Drive. The clerk was not injured.

The suspect is described as a black male. He was 5’07” tall, weighed 200-220 lbs., and was last seen wearing a green jacket and had a mask concealing part of his face. There is no further physical or clothing description available. No video surveillance photos are available to be released at this time.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact the Robbery Unit at Troop 2 at 302-365-8566. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DSPNewsroom/ or Twitter at https://twitter.com/DEStatePolice. To find out more about how to get your community involved in the Nextdoor application, please click on the following link: https://nextdoor.com/.

Released: 113016 0930

-End-

Townsend- The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash that has claimed the life of a Dover man which occurred last night just south of Townsend.

The initial investigation has determined that the incident occurred at approximately 10:33 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2016, as Michael Z. McGirr, 27, of Dover, was operating a 1999 Honda Accord and was traveling in a southbound direction on US13 (DuPont Parkway) just south of Blackbird Forest Road, Townsend. For an unknown reason, the Honda left the west edge of the roadway and began to rotate clockwise while traveling in a southwesterly direction. The left side of McGirr’s vehicle then struck a tree where it came to rest.

Michael McGirr, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown if alcohol or drugs was a factor in the crash. However, excessive speed does appear to be a factor.

This crash remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police. Traffic was not affected as a result of the crash.

Released: 113016 0740

###

Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale

New Castle County – Delaware State Police are currently investigating three armed robberies and an attempted armed robbery that occurred at several businesses located in Newark and Wilmington yesterday.

The first incident occurred on Monday, November 28, 2016 at approximately 10:25 a.m., as a male suspect entered the 7-11 located at 699 E. Chestnut Hill Road, Newark. The suspect then displayed an unknown make and model handgun and confronted a male employee of the store. He then demanded cash from the store register. The employee complied with the suspect’s demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of money to him. He then exited the store and fled in an unknown direction. There were no injuries.

The suspect was described as a black male. He was 25-30 years of age, 5’07” tall, 210-215 lbs., and was last seen wearing a red shirt, grey and black jacket, black pants, and red and white sneakers.

The second incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m., as three male suspects entered the Sunoco A-Plus located at 1950 Maryland Avenue, Wilmington. Two of the suspects, who were both armed with unknown make and model handguns, confronted two store employees and demanded cash from the registers. One of the suspects fired two rounds from his handgun into the floor as they were demanding cash from the employees. As this was occurring, the third suspect, who was also armed, stood at the door of the store acting as a lookout. The employees complied with the suspect’s demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of money to them. All three of the suspects then exited the store and were last seen fleeing on foot in an eastbound direction. There were no injuries.

After further investigation, which included conducting interviews and the examination of physical evidence, troopers believe that the same three suspects possibly committed the armed robbery of the Wawa, located at 705 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, on Monday, October 24, 2016, as well as the armed robbery of the 7-11 located at 1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilmington, on the same day.

The suspects were all described as unknown race males. They were approximately 6’00” tall and were dressed in all dark clothing.

The third robbery occurred at approximately 8:27 p.m. yesterday as two black males entered the Shore Stop/BP located at 3507 Miller Road, Wilmington. Both of the suspects, one of which was armed with an unknown make and model handgun, confronted a female employee and demanded money from the registers. The victim complied with the suspects demands and turned over an undisclosed amount of cash to them. The suspects also removed the victim’s cell phone before exiting the business and fleeing in a southeast direction. There were no injuries.

At approximately 8:44 p.m., two male suspects entered the Dollar Tree located at 3602 Miller Road, Wilmington. The suspects, one of which was armed with a handgun, confronted a male employee and ordered him to open the door to the office. The employee, however, was unable to open the door. Both suspects then exited the store and fled in an unknown direction without obtaining any property. There were no injuries.

The suspects in both incidents which occurred on Miller Road were described as black males 16-20 years of age. They were 5’08”-5’11” tall, and weighed 140-160 lbs. One of the suspects was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants, white sneakers, and had a mask partially covering his face. He was also armed with a gun. The second suspect was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black shoes, black pants, and had a mask partially covering his face. It has not been determined if the same suspects were involved in both incidents, however.

There are no video surveillance photos available to be released at this time.

The Delaware State Police would like to remind the business community that robbery prevention is something business owners need to cover with new hires as well as current employees on a regular basis.

Anytime there is money in a place, there is a chance that someone will want that money, and is willing to use force to get it. You can take some simple steps to help reduce the chances that you, or your business, will be robbed. There is no way to fully prevent robbery, but you can reduce the odds of becoming a victim.

Methods for Discouraging a Robber

Lock unused doors.
Avoid working alone. If you must work alone, turn on a radio or TV so robbers will think there is someone with you.
Vary the schedule and route you take for your bank deposits each day, keep only the necessary cash on hand.
Make sure your cash register is clearly visible to passers-by.
Avoid placing signs or displays near windows, because they block visibility from the street.
Display signs at entrances and exits indicating that safes require secondary keys, which are not in the possession of employees.
Advertise your security alarm system with signs in visible locations.
Place colored markings at the exits to estimate the suspect’s height as they leave.
A robbery may be over in less than a minute. You need a quick eye to get a good look at the robber. That’s why some stores place hidden cameras behind cash registers.

If a Robbery Occurs

Call police immediately by dialing 9-1-1, before calling anyone else.
Someone points a gun at you and demands your money. What do you do? Give it to him/her! Never refuse a robber.
Remain calm. You will be able to give a better description to the police. Most robbers do not harm the victim.
Do not resist. Cooperate with the robber, but do not volunteer any information or do anything other than what he asks. He may be armed and may harm you or others if you do not cooperate. Listen carefully to him/her, and pay attention to the robber’s appearance and demeanor.
Try to avoid sudden moves. Many robbers are just as nervous as you are.
The most important thing to do if you’re robbed is to do as you’re told and try to observe. The description of the suspect that you give to the police may be the only information they have to work with.

Steps to Take After a Robbery

Wait until the suspect has left the store and then sound the alarm.
Call 9-1-1. Tell the dispatcher the name and address of your business. Give a brief description of the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle if known.
Ask customers to stay and wait for the police.
When your witnesses have agreed to stay, lock the doors until the police arrive.
Preserve the crime scene and make sure the witnesses are aware that they should not touch anything that the suspect may have touched.
Ask all witnesses and staff members to write down their observations of the suspect description.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact the Robbery Unit at Troop 2 at 302-365-8566. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DSPNewsroom/ or Twitter at https://twitter.com/DEStatePolice. To find out more about how to get your community involved in the Nextdoor application, please click on the following link: https://nextdoor.com/.

Released: 112916 0930

-End-

Presented by Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Gary Fournier

Long Neck – The Delaware State Police have arrested a Millsboro man after he was involved in a domestic altercation at a Long Neck restaurant early Monday evening.

The events unfolded around 6:54 p.m. Monday November 28, 2016 when troopers were called to the Long Neck Diner located at 25935 Plaza Drive for a disorderly subject. Upon their arrival, the male subject, who was later identified as Harvey Justice, 22 of Millsboro, had already fled the scene. The investigation revealed Justice had gone to the diner and began looking around his girlfriend’s car that was parked outside. The female employee went outside and noticed Justice around her car and quickly returned inside when Justice forced his way into the kitchen and confronted her. Justice and the female, who are in a relationship, began arguing and a physical altercation ensued between them which filtered outside the restaurant and into the parking lot. Two other employees then came outside and observed the commotion and attempted to break them apart, when Justice pushed his 22-year-old girlfriend to the ground and pulled a gun from a holster attached to his belt. Justice then pointed the gun at all three of them and threated to shoot. Shortly thereafter, Justice fled the scene in his car. The female victim was slightly injured in the altercation, but did not request immediate treatment for her wounds. The other two employees were not physically injured.

Troopers and officers from Millsboro Police Department responded to Harvey Justice’s address in Millsboro where he was taken into custody without further incident. The fully loaded 9mm handgun was also located and recovered.

Justice was transported back to Troop 7 where he was charged with three counts of Aggravated Menacing, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Assault 2nd. He was arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $5,250.00 secured bond.

Released: 112916 1050