NEWARK, DE — Delaware State Police have arrested four individuals in connection with an alleged burglary at a repossession tow company early Sunday morning. The suspects, ranging in age from 16 to 19, face multiple felony charges following an investigation that unfolded during the early hours of December 8, 2024.
Authorities responded to Metro Investigations, located at 12 Peoples Drive in Newark, around 1:26 a.m., after receiving reports of three unidentified individuals trespassing on the fenced property and peering into vehicles. According to police, surveillance footage revealed three masked male suspects entering the property by cutting through a fence. Once inside, they allegedly forced open an office door and took keys belonging to vehicles stored at the facility. By the time troopers arrived, the suspects had fled.
Shortly thereafter, a trooper observed a white 2024 Ford Bronco with no visible registration traveling at high speed near State Route 72 and the I-95 overpass. The vehicle was stopped, and its driver, a 17-year-old female, along with a female passenger, were escorted to Troop 2 for safety as they were allegedly unable to provide proof of ownership for the vehicle, which was determined to be a rental.
Later that morning, 19-year-old Zephone Mace of Bear, Delaware, arrived at Troop 2 to pick up the 17-year-old female. Authorities noted that Mace’s clothing appeared similar to the outfit worn by one of the suspects captured on surveillance footage, leading to his arrest. Further investigation revealed that Mace had been accompanied by a 16-year-old male and a 17-year-old male, both of whom police allegedly determined to match descriptions of the other two burglary suspects. All three were taken into custody without incident.
Police allege that the Ford Bronco used during the event was a rental linked to the 17-year-old male suspect’s parent. It had reportedly been used to transport Mace and the 17-year-old female to the burglary location.
The suspects were later arraigned and charged with the following offenses:
Zephone Mace, 19, of Bear, DE
- Burglary Third Degree (Felony)
- Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
- Theft Over $1,500 (Felony)
- Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Criminal Mischief
Mace was committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $20,000 cash bond.
17-Year-Old Male, Wilmington, DE
- Burglary Third Degree (Felony)
- Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
- Theft Over $1,500 (Felony)
- Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Criminal Mischief
The 17-year-old was committed to New Castle County Detention Center on a $15,000 cash bond.
16-Year-Old Male, Bear, DE
- Burglary Third Degree (Felony)
- Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
- Theft Over $1,500 (Felony)
- Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Criminal Mischief
The 16-year-old was committed to New Castle County Detention Center on a $15,000 cash bond.
17-Year-Old Female, New Castle, DE
- Burglary Third Degree (Felony)
- Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony)
- Several Traffic Violations
The 17-year-old female was committed to New Castle County Detention Center on a $5,000 cash bond.
The investigation remains active, with the Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit urging anyone with insight into the case to contact Detective M. Kerrigan at (302) 365-8487 or through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333. Authorities have also emphasized that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and additional details may emerge as inquiries continue.
Further updates may be provided as new information becomes available.
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