Subject Arrested for Thefts from Vehicles By New Castle County PoliceDepartment

New Castle County Police have arrested 27-year-old Patrick Ryan after he was found to be in possession of stolen GPS units.  Officers were able to locate the owners of several of the stolen units and return them. The items were taken from unlocked vehicles parked in the community of Brookland Terrace.  

(Wilmington, DE)  On Tuesday (8/6) at 4:18 am, County Police responded to the community of Highland West after a resident called 911 to report a suspicious subject in the area.  Upon arrival, officers found a vehicle driving away from the community.  Officers stopped the vehicle and spoke to a subject later identified as Ryan.  Upon initial contact with Ryan, he provided a false name to the officers.  Officers continued their investigation and discovered seven GPS units in Ryan’s possession.  They were able to turn on some of the units which allowed them to locate three homes in Brookland Terrace from which they had been stolen.  The owners of these units were unaware that their property had been stolen until contacted by police.  The officers retuned the GPS units to those victims that could be identified. 

Ryan, who resides in the community of The Woods (Newark, DE), was charged with one count of felony Theft (due to the victim being over 62-years-of-age), two counts of misdemeanor Theft, one count of Criminal Impersonation and one count of Night Prowling.  He was arraigned by J.P. Court 2 and released on $7,500 unsecured bond.  He was also ordered by the Court to not have contact with any of the victims.

Police continue to attempt to identify the owners of the remaining GPS units.  Anyone in the area who may have had items stolen from their vehicle is asked to report the incident to police by calling 573-2800. 

County Police again remind the public that simple actions such as locking vehicle doors and keeping valuables out of sight are easy and effective crime prevention measures. 

This incident also serves as another example of the valuable role each citizen can play to stop crime.  The immediate call to 911 from a resident in Highland West to report a suspicious subject was one of the key factors in solving these crimes.