The New Castle County Police have charged Steven Bennett, 33, from the unit block of Allandale Drive in Newark with multiple counts of burglary, criminal mischief and other related charges after he was linked to the thefts from vehicles parked in New Castle County parks.

(Newark, Del.-19713) On Thursday evening (1/19), Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit executed a search warrant for Bennett and located him inside an apartment in the unit block of Allandale Drive.  Detectives were also able to locate the vehicles captured on surveillance footage operated by Bennett.

During an additional search of the apartment and vehicles, officers located evidence which further helped to link   Bennett to the thefts from Rockwood Park, Delcastle Recreational Park, Glasgow Park, and Planet Fitness.

The investigation revealed that Bennett would use a silver Chrysler 300 or white sedan to travel to different parks in New Castle County.  Once there, Bennett would damage windows to the cars and remove any items of value.  He would then use any stolen credit cards to make purchases which had been captured on surveillance and later recovered by police.

Steven Bennett has been charged with seven (7) counts of burglary in the third degree, eight (8) counts of criminal mischief, six (6) counts of theft under $1,500, two (2) counts of theft where victim is 62yrs of age or older, five (5) counts of identity theft, nine (9) counts of unlawful use of a credit card, unlawful use of a credit card where victim is 62yrs of age or older and possession of a controlled substance by theft. Bennett also had a Superior Court Civil Contempt Capias, two Superior Court Violation of Probation charges, and two Court of Common Pleas capiases.

He was arraigned and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of posting $103,400 cash bail and $2,000 secured for Court of Common Pleas capiases.