Incident Number: 50-26-26198, 27116, 27124
Date/Time: See Narrative
Location: See Narrative
Contact: Dover Police Department Public Information Officer
Lieutenant Mark Hoffman Email: Mark.Hoffman@cj.state.de.us
Narrative: The Dover Police Department has arrested and charged a Dover man following an investigation into three commercial burglary-related incidents that occurred over the past week.
The investigation began on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, after officers responded to a burglary at Kent Liquor Mart, located at 103 S. Dupont Highway. Investigators determined that at approximately 3:50 a.m., an unknown suspect shattered the front glass door with a rock before entering the business. Surveillance footage showed the suspect immediately go behind the counter, steal multiple alcoholic beverages, place the items into a pillowcase, and flee on foot.
On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at approximately 9:44 p.m., Dover Police officers responded to Little Grocer, located at 902 E. Division Street, for a commercial alarm. Officers discovered a shattered window on the east side of the business. Surveillance video revealed that at approximately 9:38 p.m., a suspect wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt turned inside out with the hood pulled tightly around his face attempted to force entry by striking the window with his elbow. The suspect fled on foot without gaining entry. Officers observed what appeared to be blood on the broken window, which was collected as evidence.
Just over two hours later, at approximately 12:09 a.m. on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, officers responded to Lepore Liquors, located at 632 N. Dupont Highway, after another commercial alarm. Officers found the front glass door shattered. The investigation determined that a suspect matching the description from the Little Grocer incident used a rock to break the glass door in an attempt to enter the business before fleeing on foot without gaining entry.
While responding to the Lepore Liquors incident, a responding officer observed a man walking near the area who matched the description of the suspect from the earlier attempted burglary at Little Grocer. During a pedestrian stop, the officer observed a fresh cut on the man’s right elbow. A subsequent canvass of the area led to the discovery of a black hooded sweatshirt, turned inside out with a tear near the right elbow, along with a white mesh bag believed to have been discarded by the suspect. Both items were collected as evidence.
As the investigation continued, detectives were able to positively identify Shawn Jones, 33, of Dover, as the suspect responsible for the July 29 burglary at Kent Liquor Mart. Jones was subsequently charged in connection with all three incidents.
Jones was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on a $36,000 cash bond on the following offenses:
-Theft Under $1,500
-Burglary Third Degree
-Attempted Burglary Third Degree (2x)
-Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (3x)
-Possession of Burglar’s Tools (2x)
-Criminal Mischief Over $1,000
-Criminal Mischief Under $1,000 (2x)