State Police Get Robbery Apprehension in Late Night Armed Robbery
Released-Sunday, May, 31, 2009
Rehoboth-On Friday, May, 29th, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Troop 7 patrol officers responded to Church Street near Costal Highway (Rehoboth) for reports of a robbery.
In this case, the victims reported that they were walking in the area of Burton Village, when two black males on the opposite of the street, asked for a cigarette. The victims told the suspects that they did not have any cigarettes and without warning, both suspects came across the street and approached them from behind. One of the suspects displayed a black hand gun and ordered the victims to give them all of their property, while the second suspect repeatedly stated “hurry up, come on, let’s go”. The suspect with the gun, forcefully removed the victims’ property then fled on foot into Burton Village.
The suspect displaying the gun was described as a black male, approximately 5’ 9”, wearing a dark tee shirt and dark pants.
The other suspect was described as a black male approximately 5’6”, wearing a dark tee shirt with dark pants and a black bandana covering the lower portion of his face.
A witness responded to Troop 7 and informed troopers that she had found property left at her residence by the suspects, later identified as James Toppin, 17 of Burton Avenue in Rehoboth and Derrick Sewell, 19, of Outrigger Court in Millsboro.
The witness turned the property over to troopers, including the gun, and the property was identified as belonging to the victims.
Both subjects were located by troop 7 troopers and transported back to troop 7 where they were each formally charged with two counts of Robbery 1st (felony), Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (felony), Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (felony), and Conspiracy 2nd (felony).
Toppin and Sewell ware arraigned at JP 3 and held on $47,000.00 secured bail with a condition of no contact with the victims.
The victims were not injured.
James Toppin
Derrick Sewell