DELAWARE (7/29/2016) Delaware State Police have arrested four people and are looking for a fifth in connection with a series of burglaries in Kent and Sussex counties where chain saws and cash were taken and an attempted robbery near Milford.
Police said the suspects were identified after police in Caln Township, Pennsylvania, earlier this month reported a large number of Stihl chain saws were sold to a pawn shop in Thorndale.
State police said the serial numbers matched those stolen in Delaware.
Mightys E. Gibbs, 24, of Harrington, and Tavon G. Johnson, 22, of Felton, were identified as suspects through information they gave to the pawn shop, police said.
Johnson was arrested July 18 when troopers and probation officers stopped a car on Big Stone Beach Road south of New Wharf Road, north of Milford, and found masks and gloves as well as a 12-gauge shotgun. Police said Johnson and three others in the car had been preparing to rob the nearby Shore Stop gas station at 432 Bay Road (Route 1).
The driver, Jaydenn D. Clough, 20, of Smyrna, also was arrested but two others fled on foot into nearby woods. Clough was released on $22,000 unsecured bond on attempted robbery and related charges.
Johnson was being held at Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna in lieu of $50,100 cash bond on attempted robbery charges and $42,700 secured bond on burglary-related charges.
Police said they were later able to identify the two who fled as Quadir Bryant, 24, of Felton and Robert Mannings III, 24, of Viola.
Bryant was arrested Monday and was being held at Sussex Correctional Institution near Georgetown in lieu of $208,000 cash bond on attempted robbery, burglary and related charges.
Mannings was being held at Vaughn Correctional Center in lieu of $83,000 secured bond on attempted robbery, burglary and related charges.
Gibbs is still being sought on attempted robbery, burglary and firearms charges. Anyone with information on him is asked to call Detective D. Blomquist at 302-698-8426.
Police gave the following details on the series of burglaries reported:
July 5 at 12:12 a.m. – Burke Equipment, 11196 East Snake Road, north of Delmar – 6 chain saws and one concrete saw. The total value of merchandise was over $2,400. Damage to perimeter fencing valued at about $1,500.
July 5 at 4:30 a.m. – Tractor Supply, 4089 South DuPont Highway, near Camden – Nothing was stolen although damage was estimated at approximately $200 to a fence.
July 8 at 2:29 a.m. – Binkley and Hurst, 22367 Sussex Highway, Seaford – A window was damaged ($500) and a safe that contained a small amount of money was removed from the business.
July 8 at 4:14 a.m. – Sunburst Rentals, 36412 Sussex Highway, north of Delmar – Suspects used a forklift to pry open a roll-up door causing about $1,500 damage and then removed a chainsaw valued over $240.00.
July 11 at 1:49 a.m. – Barton’s Landscaping, 20689 Sussex Highway, north of Seaford – Nothing was stolen although damage was estimated at about $1,000 to a fence and video surveillance camera.
July 11 at 3:10 a.m. – Burke Equipment, 54 Andrews Lake Road, north of Felton – 11 chain saws were removed with a total value of over $4,600 along with about $1,000 damage to a fence and glass door.
In each of the burglaries, the suspects would cut a portion of perimeter fencing before forcibly entering the businesses. The brand of chain saw stolen in each case was primarily Stihl.