(Middletown, DE 19709) On July 26, 2026, at approximately 2:00 a.m., officers with the New Castle County Division of Police responded to the 300 block of South Thale Drive for a reported burglary.
Responding officers arrived at the residence and observed signs of forced entry. The victims, who were not home at the time of the incident, reported that valuable property had been stolen from the residence.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigation Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
During the investigation, detectives identified a Mercedes GL450 believed to be associated with the burglary. As the investigation developed, detectives determined that 68-year-old Michael Guess of Philadelphia, Pa., was involved in the burglary.
On Monday, August 24, 2026, detectives assigned to the Division’s Fugitive Apprehension and Surveillance Team, along with members of the U.S. Marshals Service First State Fugitive Task Force located Guess and took him into custody without incident. Guess was transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters, where he was charged with:
- One felony count of Burglary in the Second Degree
- One felony count of Theft of $1,500 or Greater
- One misdemeanor count of Criminal Mischief
Guess was also found to have two outstanding fugitive warrants from other states, one from New Jersey and one from Pennsylvania.
Michael Guess was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after failing to post $100,000 cash bail on the fugitive charges and $13,000 unsecured bail on the burglary-related charges.
Michael Guess – 68