Delaware State Police, with the assistance of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and Wilmington Police Department have arrested five teens involved in the burglary and theft of 27 handguns from a Greenville area sporting good store.
Guns were already linked to a suspect in a shooting in Wilmington and another gun was recovered in a traffic stop.
The investigation began Friday, July 22, at 1:40 a.m., after four male suspects were observed smashing the glass to the front door of the Artemus Outfitters, at 4021 Kennett Pike, Greenville.
The suspects then entered the business and proceeded to remove 27 assorted handguns from a display before exiting the store and fleeing in an unknown direction. Although no photos were released, the incident was captured on surveillance cameras and proved helpful in the detectives conducting their investigation into the apprehension of the teens.
A day later, Wilmington Police were dispatched to a shooting in the 3500 block of North Church Street.
Through an investigation into this incident, four stolen firearms were recovered and connected to the sporting good store burglary. The victim of the shooting, William Morgan, 17 of Newark would later be implicated in the burglary through the joint investigation.
Detectives were able to link Morgan and four others, Tomier M. Cooper, 16, of Wilmington, Jamir Stewart, 16 of Newark, Tyliek Church, 16 of Newark, and Jordan Banks, 17 of Wilmington, to the burglary. Beginning Monday, July 25, search warrants were conducted at each of the boy’s residences and three more handguns were recovered upon searching Banks’ home.
The five teens were all charged with 27 counts of Theft of a Firearm, Burglary 3rd, Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony, Conspiracy 2nd, and Criminal Mischief. Jordan Banks was charged additionally with two counts of Obliterating a Serial Number on a Firearm. All of the teens are currently incarcerated in the New Castle County Detention Center on cash bonds.
On Thursday July 28, at around 12:43 a.m., troopers patrolling Route 40 in Bear conducted a traffic stop on a Toyota sedan after the vehicle made an abrupt lane change in front of the patrol vehicle.
After stopping the car, driven by Gregory M. Wise, 18 of Bear, a strong odor of marijuana was detected. A search was conducted on the car after a State Police K9 alerted to the presence of drugs and a total of 255.91 grams of marijuana was located. Also located in the search was a Ruger handgun which was found to be one of the guns stolen in the Artemus Outfitters burglary.
Gregory Wise was charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Receiving a Stolen Firearm. He was arraigned at JP2 and released on $53,000. unsecured bond.
