Delaware State Police have taken the second teenager into custody in connection with an armed robbery that took place last month at Christiana Mall in Newark.
The 17-year-old male from Wilmington was arrested after investigators determined he was the accomplice in the March 21, 2026 incident that occurred around 6:45 p.m. near the JCPenney entrance at 606 Christiana Mall.
According to police reports, officers initially responded to the parking area following reports of an armed holdup. Law enforcement spotted one suspect matching witness descriptions – a 17-year-old who fled on foot. Officers pursued the teenager across several lanes of Route 1 before apprehending him. Authorities discovered a loaded firearm tucked in his waistband.
The Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit assumed control of the case. Initial findings showed that two victims were about to get into their car when both teenage suspects confronted them and ordered the first victim to hand over personal items. One teen brandished a gun while his partner took the victim’s belongings and fled. The armed teenager then hit the victim in the head with the weapon before pursuing the second victim while pointing the firearm at them. The second victim managed to escape without injury.
The victim who was assaulted, a 47-year-old Bridgeville resident, refused medical attention at the scene.
Investigators later found clothing that the second suspect had thrown away after the robbery.
In a separate development, New Castle County Police were simultaneously at the mall conducting their own investigation into a vehicle theft case. Though initially treated as unrelated incidents, detectives eventually discovered that the 17-year-old in New Castle County custody possessed items belonging to the robbery victim.
Additional investigation confirmed this teenager was indeed the second participant in the armed robbery. Detectives then secured an arrest warrant for him.
On April 1, 2026, the second teen, who was already being held at the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families, faced formal charges. He was processed through New Castle County Family Court and is being held on $115,000 cash bond.
The charges include First Degree Robbery (Felony), Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony), and Second Degree Conspiracy (Felony).
