Delaware State Police have taken a 15-year-old Wilmington boy into custody in connection with an armed robbery that was arranged through the social media platform TikTok.
The incident took place on May 29, 2026, at around 5:00 p.m., when troopers were called to the back of a business in the 3800 block of Kirkwood Highway after a robbery was reported. Investigators determined that the victim had connected with the suspect on TikTok, and the two made plans to meet on Maryland Avenue in Wilmington to ride electric bikes together.
After meeting up, the pair rode around the area for a while before the suspect steered the victim to the rear of a business on Kirkwood Highway, claiming they were going there to film videos. Once they were out of sight, a second suspect — wearing a mask — appeared, pulled out a handgun, and demanded the victim hand over his electric bike. The victim gave up the bike, and both suspects fled. The victim was not physically harmed.
The Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit took charge of the case. Through their investigation, detectives identified the 15-year-old as the armed suspect and secured a search warrant for his home in the unit block of Courtyard Lane in Wilmington.
On June 18, 2026, detectives — with help from the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team — carried out the search warrant and took the teenager into custody without any issues.
The teen was transported to Troop 2, where he was formally charged with the following offenses: Robbery First Degree (Felony), Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony), and Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony). He was arraigned through the New Castle County Family Court and placed in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families on a $5,000 secured bond.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the robbery or has information related to the case is asked to reach out to Detective M. Conway at (302) 365-8411. Tips can also be submitted through a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Anyone who has been a victim or witness of a crime, or who has lost a loved one to a sudden death and needs support, can contact the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center around the clock at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also reach the Victim Services Unit by email at [email protected].
