BEAR, DELAWARE (2/9/2016) Two Newark men were arrested during the attempted robbery of a Wawa store on U.S. 40 in Bear after an alert off-duty employee recognized their van, Delaware State Police said. They later were charged in a series of robberies including an earlier one at the same store.
Police gave this account Monday:
An off-duty Wawa employee was in the parking lot of the business at 1605 Pulaski Highway (U.S. 40), at the Salem Church Road intersection, about 2:30 a.m. Sunday when he saw a white van matching the description of one used in a previous robbery at the store.
He saw a man get out of the passenger seat and pull the hood of his jacket over his head, then return to the van, which moved to the rear of the store and parked.
The same man then got out and entered the store.
As this was happening, the employee called 911 and also phoned the store to warn other employees of a possible robbery.
After entering the store, the man from the van approached a clerk and demanded money from the register, but the clerk opened an empty cash drawer.
The man left without obtaining any money, police said.
He was taken into custody immediately by troopers and later identified as Joseph M. Nost Jr., 25, of Newark. The driver of the van also was taken into custody and identified as Jeffrey A. Cagle, 54, of Newark.
They were later linked to the following robberies, police said:
• Wawa, 1605 Pulaski Highway, Bear on Friday.
• Valero, 770 Old Baltimore Pike, on Friday .
• Dollar General, 1679 Pulaski Highway, Bear, on Saturday.
• Valero, 770 Old Baltimore Pike, on Saturday.
Nost was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree conspiracy, two counts of first-degree attempted robbery, two counts of second-degree robbery, four counts of second-degree conspiracy, two counts of second-degree attempted robbery and carrying a concealed deadly weapon. He was being held at Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington in lieu of $90,000 secured bail.
Cagle was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree conspiracy, two counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree conspiracy, two counts of second-degree attempted robbery and two counts of second-degree conspiracy. He was being held at Young in lieu of $49,000 secured bail.
Man robs Wawa on U.S. 40 in Bear