Delaware State Police have made an arrest in connection with an armed robbery that took place at a Wilmington shopping center last month, with a 14-year-old from Newark now facing several serious felony charges.
The incident unfolded on June 29, 2026, around 5:00 p.m., when troopers were called to a shopping center in the 3100 block of Kirkwood Highway following a robbery report. According to investigators, the victim was walking through the parking lot selling candy when an unknown individual approached and demanded the victim hand over their belongings. When the victim refused, the suspect pulled out a handgun. The victim then complied, and the suspect ran off with the stolen property. The victim was not physically harmed.
The Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit assumed control of the case. Through their investigation, detectives were able to identify the suspect as the 14-year-old and determined he was staying at a hotel in the 1100 block of South College Avenue in Newark. A computer records check revealed the teenager was already serving probation stemming from a felony adjudication tied to a 2025 stolen vehicle case.
On July 23, 2026, detectives went to the hotel and took the teen into custody without any issues. A search warrant was executed on the hotel room, where investigators recovered a loaded handgun along with other evidence connecting the teenager to the robbery.
The suspect was transported to Troop 2, where he was formally charged. He was then arraigned through New Castle County Family Court and committed to the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families on a $120,000 cash bond.
The teenager faces the following charges:
- Robbery First Degree (Felony)
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited Adjudicated Delinquent (Felony)
- Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Felony)
