(New Castle, DE 19720) Since September of 2020, investigators from the New Castle County Division of Police and from the Delaware Natural Resources Police have been actively investigating numerous reports of thefts from motor vehicles that were parked in both state and county parklands.
On February 27th, 2021, the officers were able to apprehend 37-year-old Steven Bennett. Bennett was found to be responsible for thefts from Paper Mill Park, Talley Day Park, Delcastle Park, Glasgow Park, Smith Bridge Road, First State National Historical Park, Brandywine Creek State Park, Bellevue State Park, Alapocas Run State Park, and White Clay Creek State Park.
Detectives from the New Castle County Division of Police Criminal Investigations Unit, Property Squad charged Bennett with 54 charges including multiple counts of Theft, Burglary 3rd, Possession of Burglar Tools – Instruments facilitating Identity Theft, and Unlawful Use of Payment Cards.
State Parks officers from the Delaware Natural Resources Police executed four additional arrest warrants, which added another 17 charges of Theft, Criminal Mischief and Burglary.
Bennett was arraigned by the New Castle County Court of Common Pleas and was held in lieu of $80,000 cash bail. Bennett also received an additional bail of $59,100 unsecured for the aforementioned charges.
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