(Newark, DE. 19702) On Sunday, December 21, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., New Castle County Police patrol officers responded to the 3000 block of Old County Road after receiving a report that two juveniles wearing orange shirts had walked away from a juvenile detention center. As they were leaving the facility, a 16-year-old juvenile attempted to steal an employee’s vehicle but was unsuccessful. The juveniles then fled into a neighboring community. Shortly thereafter, a second 911 call reported that a juvenile suspect matching the earlier description had stolen a Jeep Grand Cherokee from Bordeaux Boulevard in the Meritage neighborhood.

Officers responded to the area and located one suspect, a 15-year-old male who had fled the detention center, whom an off-duty police officer had detained. The second suspect, a 16-year-old male driving the stolen Jeep, later stopped the vehicle in the neighborhood and was taken into custody without incident.

Both juveniles were transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters, where they were charged as follows:

16-year-old male

• One felony count of Theft of a Motor Vehicle
• One felony count of Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle
• One felony count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• One misdemeanor count of Escape in the Third Degree

The 16-year-old male was arraigned by New Castle County Family Court and committed to a juvenile detention center after failing to post $7,000 cash bail.

15-year-old male

• One felony count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• One misdemeanor count of Escape in the Third Degree

The 15-year-old male was arraigned by New Castle County Family Court and committed to a juvenile detention center after failing to post $3,000 cash bail.