“Four Juveniles Arrested in Vehicle Theft Incident in Laurel, Delaware”

In Laurel, Delaware, four underage individuals were apprehended by the police following their involvement in an ongoing vehicle theft. At around 3 a.m. last Thursday, a patrol officer from the Laurel Police Department noticed a suspicious vehicle parked at The Car Store, located on Sussex Highway, while the establishment was closed. The officer witnessed the vehicle leaving the premises and driving recklessly in a southerly direction on Sussex Highway. After waiting for an additional officer for backup, a traffic stop was conducted south of Gordy Road.
The four occupants of the vehicle were approached by the officers, and it was determined that none of them were the registered owner. Additionally, damage to the vehicle’s steering column was observed, and it was discovered that the driver did not possess a valid driver’s license. All occupants were detained while the police contacted the registered owner in Maryland, who claimed to have no knowledge of the detainees and believed that their vehicle was being serviced at a car dealership in Selbyville.
The Selbyville Police Department was subsequently notified to investigate the dealership. It was revealed that the same suspects had trespassed on the dealership’s premises earlier that night, tampering with multiple vehicles and successfully stealing a 2016 Kia Optima. The suspects later returned in this stolen vehicle and managed to gain access to an additional 2011 Kia Optima, which was the vehicle involved in the traffic stop conducted by the Laurel PD.
The driver was identified as a 15-year-old male from Berlin, while the passengers were identified as a 14-year-old male, 15-year-old male, and 16-year-old male, all from Greenwood. The Laurel Police charged the individuals with receiving stolen property valued over $1500. Furthermore, the driver faced additional charges of driving without a valid license and failure to maintain a single lane.
The Selbyville PD found sufficient evidence to charge two of the suspects (both 15-year-olds) with possession of burglar tools, two counts of motor vehicle theft, second-degree conspiracy, three counts of third-degree criminal mischief valued between $1000 and $5000, and three counts of third-degree criminal trespass.
All the suspects were arraigned and subsequently released to their respective guardians on their own recognizance.