According to the employee, the theft occurred during the evening of Thursday, March 20, 2008 and the early morning hours of Friday, March 21st. The suspect allegedly cut a hole in the fence causing $500.00 in damage. The suspect then removed approximately $3,000.00 in copper welding lead.
The bandit struck the business again sometime during the early morning hours of Monday, March 24, 2008. This time, the suspects returned and cut another hole in the fence. Again the damage was estimated at $500.00. The suspect then removed thirty-one stainless steel centerline irrigation pipes valued at $11,000.00.
Delaware State Police Detectives conducted surveillance on the business during the evening of March 27th into the early morning hours of March 28, 2008. Today at approximately 1:50 a.m. detectives observed a vehicle drive south off SR404A along the rear of O.A. Newton. This vehicle drove off after about ten minutes. Troopers and detectives followed the vehicle, a maroon Ford Taurus with Delaware registration. Josh E. Holt, 21, of Seaford was driving the vehicle. His sister, 28-year-old Andrea E. Holt, also of Seaford, was the passenger.
Police discovered eleven pieces of stainless steel centerline irrigation piping in the car. The value of which is approximately $3,903.24. It belonged to O.A. Newton.
Both subjects were taken into custody and transported to Troop 5. A search of Josh Holt's vehicle revealed a small plastic baggie of green leafy substance. This item was located between the driver's seat and the center console. A glass pipe was found next to the baggie. The marijuana weighed 3.3 grams. Troopers also located bolt cutters in the vehicle.
Both suspects were interviewed at Troop 5 and confessed to entering a hole in O.A. Newton's fence. Both subjects confessed to stealing the items in the vehicle from the storage yard. Josh Holt also confessed to cutting a hole in O.A. Newton's fence on Monday with the pair of bolt cutters.
Holt confessed to stealing the other thirty-one pieces of stainless irrigation. He also stated that he performed the theft Monday, March 24, 2008 by himself. Holt denied performing the theft Friday, March 21, 2008. However, that theft occurred in the same fashion as the others.
Josh E. Holt is charged with three counts of Theft, three counts of Possession of Burglary Tools, two counts of Criminal Mischief, three counts of Criminal Trespass 2nd Degree, Conspiracy 2nd Degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana. Josh E. Holt was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in lieu of $18,500.00 secured bond.
Andrea E. Holt is charged with the thefts that occurred today. She was formally charged with Theft, Possession of Burglar Tools, Conspiracy2nd Degree, and Criminal Trespass 2nd Degree. She was arraigned at the Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on $2,500.00 unsecured bond.
