LAUREL, Del.- Delaware State Police say a traffic stop has led to the arrests of two men in connection with half a dozen burglaries that occurred in the Laurel and Delmar area.
Kenneth E. Williams, 44, of Seaford, and Matthew R. King Jr., 26, of Harrington, are each charged with three counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of attempted second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, nine counts of theft of a firearm, six counts of theft, five counts of second-degree conspiracy and five counts of criminal mischief.
Police said the arrests stemmed from an investigation that got under way at around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, when a 46-year-old male victim inside his house on Deer Road in Delmar, Del., heard a loud noise coming from the back of the structure. Troopers said that when the victim went to investigate, he located a unknown man standing inside the doorway. According to police, the suspect quickly ran out of the house and entered a white car parked in the driveway and drove away. The victim was able to obtain the registration on the vehicle and relayed it to the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center (9-1-1), which broadcast the description over the radio to all police agencies.
At approximately 4:20 p.m. a Laurel police officer conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle in the area of the First Stop convenience store in Laurel and took Williams and King into custody without incident.
Detectives from Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit in Georgetown said they were able to link Williams and King to at least six burglaries committed between Laurel and Delmar. Police said the pair broke into unoccupied homes or businesses and stole cash, jewelry, tools and several firearms before pawning some of the items at local pawn shops.
Following his arrest on the aforementioned charges, King was ordered held in lieu of $16,000 secured bond. Williams was charged by Laurel police with various traffic and criminal-related offenses associated with the traffic stop and later turned over to DSP detectives to be processed on the above listed charges. He was ordered held on $32,750 secured bond.
Kenneth E. Williams
Matthew R. King Jr.
