REHOBOTH BEACH, DE – Delaware State Police have taken into custody four suspects believed to be involved in a series of shoplifting incidents at Tanger Outlets.
The arrested individuals, identified as Monica Parks, 33, Samuel Jones, 58, Ja’ni Lewis, 24, and Calvin Schoolfield, 36, all hail from Salisbury, Maryland. Their arrest was a result of an investigation that took place on Thursday afternoon.
On the evening of October 5, at about 5:17 p.m., officers were alerted to a theft at the Coach Outlet located at 34986 Midway Outlet Drive. The informant described a group of four, comprising three black males and one black female, who allegedly shoplifted from the store. They were reported to have made a getaway in a white Ford Expedition sporting a Vermont license plate. The caller also provided specifics regarding their attire.
In swift response, troopers traced the described vehicle to the parking area in front of the Nike Factory Store at 36698 Bayside Outlet Drive. On inspection, the vehicle’s occupants, namely Jones, Lewis, and Schoolfield, were identified through their Maryland driver’s licenses. Parks was located in the nearby vicinity and was subsequently identified.
Upon reviewing the Coach Outlet’s video footage, troopers could pinpoint all four suspects as the culprits of the theft. A consented search of the Ford Expedition unearthed shoplifting paraphernalia and stolen goods valued over $1500. These goods traced back to several outlets, including Coach, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria’s Secret/PINK, and Bath & Body Works. Notably, none of the suspects could provide any purchase receipts for the recovered items. Further background checks revealed an outstanding warrant for Lewis in Maryland, related to traffic violations.