14-year-old Wilmington boy arrested in Delaware gun store heist linked to other crimes
Officials say he's been linked to other crimes in the area as well
NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Delaware (WPVI) -- A 14-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly burglarizing a gun store in New Castle County, Delaware.
Miller's Gun Center on West Jackson Avenue in Wilmington Manor was broken into around 2 a.m. on Monday.
New Castle County Mobile Enforcement Team said they were able to identify the 14-year-old from Wilmington as a suspect. He was located in a vehicle on Tuesday and officers were able to take him into custody without incident.
He is now facing 16 felony counts of theft of a firearm, two felony counts of burglary third degree, among several other charges.
Officers were initially called to the scene for an alarm going off, but say as they were en route, a passerby called 911 reporting that they had witnessed a flatbed truck backing into the front door.
"We heard a bang," Dallas Shahan, Wilmington Manor, told Action News. "Not very sure what it was, we kinda went back to bed thinking maybe it was a transformer or something."
When police arrived at the scene, they discovered the store had been broken into and several firearms were stolen.
The truck was not in the area when investigators got to the scene.
It's unclear exactly how many firearms were stolen during the break-in, according to police.
Residents say the missing guns are among their biggest concerns.
"Hopefully they don't end up in the wrong hands," said Shahan. "If they're in the streets now, yes, that's definitely a scary situation."
The owner declined to be interviewed but told Action News with security cameras and barricades out front, the business felt well protected.
The teen has been arraigned and is being held at the New Castle County Detention Center after failing to pay $79,000 cash bail.
After the arrest, officials said they were able to connect the teen to multiple other incidents within Delaware State Police's jurisdiction. They were then notified and "effectively resolved several significant cases as a result."
New Castle County police and ATF are investigating the burglary. Anyone with information is urged to contact the police.
