Newark, DE – Delaware State Police arrested 47-year-old Robert Wheeler of Wilmington, Delaware, for organized retail theft following a series of shopliftings of cigarettes from multiple Wawa locations in New Castle County. Wheeler was apprehended on May 15, 2024, after being identified as the suspect in 17 shoplifting incidents totaling over $5,600 worth of stolen cigarettes.
The initial incident occurred at 2:10 a.m. at a Wawa in Newark. The masked suspect grabbed cigarettes from the display and fled without paying, prompting troopers to respond. After identifying the suspect’s vehicle at another Wawa location, Wheeler was taken into custody following a traffic stop where he provided a false identity.
Following his arrest, Wheeler was found to have an active No Contact Order with all Wawa properties in Delaware. He was charged with organized retail theft, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, criminal impersonation, and criminal trespass.
Wheeler was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and is being held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $2,000 bond.