Arrest Made in String of Restaurant Burglaries 6-30-2014

The Dover Police Department has arrested Brandon Woodlin (30), of Dover, in connection with four restaurant burglaries that occurred between April 30th and May 23rd of this year.

Caribbean Cuisine

On April 30th, at approximately 1:18AM officers responded to Caribbean Cuisine located at 313 West Loockerman Street Dover, DE in reference to a burglary. Upon arrival it was determined a suspect (Woodlin) entered the business through an unsecured rear window and removed an undisclosed amount of cash and property from the business including the security DVR player, Apple iPod Touch, and a Sony speaker.

King Buffet

On May 2nd at approximately 6:00AM officers responded to King Buffet located at 293 North Dupont Highway Dover, DE in reference to a burglary. Surveilance video showed a black male use a 2×4 piece of wood to damage a window to a rear door to the business and gain entry.   Woodlin is seen wearing sandals, a t-shirt, reflective pants and a blanket to disguise himself from the video cameras.  However, at certain times while inside/outside of the business, he looked at the cameras.  Once inside, defendant Woodlin ransacked the business looking for money while damaging property consisting of a storage closet door and Buddha statue.  Woodlin also fled with an undisclosed amount of cash from the scene.  Defendant Woodlin then flees out the rear business door and enters a Silver Ford Expedition.  The following surveillance photos were released at that time.

Capitol Diner

On May 10th at approximately 6:45AM officers responded to Capitol Diner located at 913 South Dupont Highway Dover, DE in reference to a burglary. Upon arrival it was determined a suspect (Woodlin) entered the business through the rear door and removed the cash register valued containing an undisclosed amount of cash.  The suspect (Woodlin) then fled out of the business through the rear door.

El Nopal Mexican Restaurant

On May 23rd at approximately 12:45AM officers responded to El Nopal Mexican Restaurant located at 627 West Division Street Dover, DE in reference to a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined a suspect (Woodlin) used an unknown object to cut the window screen to the bathroom window located at the rear of the business. The suspect then used a landscaping rock to damaged the rear bathroom window and gained entry through it.  The suspect then removed the cash register containing an undisclosed amount of cash and fled out the bathroom window. At some point, the suspect lost his sandal (size ten) inside the bathroom of the business

While the Dover Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit was investigating the above cases, a detective spotted a silver Ford Expedition at a hotel near the King Buffet matching the image obtained from King Buffet surveillance footage.  The detective then obtained an image of the owner, Brandon Woodlin, and was able to identify him as the suspect seen in the King Buffet video footage as well.  It was later discovered that Woodlin was an employed as a flagger for a local traffic control company, requiring him to wear the reflective pants seen in surveillance footage.  Woodlin was arrested at the Dover Police Department on Thursday, June 26th when he came in for questioning about the above cases.  It was also learned that Woodlin wears a size 10 shoe, like the sandal found at the scene of the El Nopal Burglary.

Officer Releasing Information: Cpl. Mark Hoffman (PIO)