The man’s daughter, who has power of attorney, recently learned the suspect had used the man’s debit card since April to pay for her personal debts. The woman stole more than $7,000 from the man’s account. The case remains under investigation.

Cause of fatal crash in Long Neck remains under investigation
Barbara Hammond, 72, of Lewes, died Monday, Nov. 16, as a result of injuries she sustained in a single-vehicle crash. Sgt. Walter Newton, state police spokesman, said Hammond was driving a 2001 Nissan Altima southbound on Bay Farm Road near the Peninsula development when at approximately 11:45 a.m., the vehicle drifted off the right shoulder and off the roadway.

The vehicle continued traveling south, parallel to the road, crossed Trinity Road and struck a 4-foot cement pillar head on. Hammond, who was wearing a seat belt, was flown to Christiana Hospital and died at 2:30 p.m. Investigators do not know what caused Hammond to drive off the roadway. The crash remains under investigation.

Merchants beware: Counterfeits collected
State police are warning merchants to be careful when collecting money as this holiday season’s consumer business picks up. Sgt. Walter Newton, state police spokesman, said someone passed two counterfeit $20 bills at Grotto Pizza in Long Neck recently. According to a police report, the phony bills were detected when an employee was going through cash receipts Nov. 10.

Newton recommends clerks and merchants use counterfeit-detecting equipment – such as the special dry markers – to check bills. He said store and restaurant owners should call police if they receive a phony bill but try not to alert the person passing the bill that the call is being made.

He also said merchants should not attempt to detain someone who has passed a counterfeit. “It is better just to be the best witness you can be,” said Newton. “Pay attention to the obvious: height, weight, hair color, tattoos or piercings, clothing and a tag number if the person exits in a vehicle.”

Newton also added a cautionary note for clerks not to jump to conclusions if a bill is passed. “It’s possible the person with the phony bill has no idea it is fake,” said Newton.

Guests steal TVs from local motel
State police are investigating two thefts that occurred at Red Mill Inn on Route 1. Sgt. Walter Newton, state police spokesman, said a police report shows a man rented two rooms Nov. 9, but he did not provide proper identification.

When cleaning staff entered the rooms Nov. 11, two Phillips televisions were missing. Police are asking anyone with information to call Troop 7 at 644-5020.
Police seek help locating stolen truck

State police are seeking public assistance to locate a truck that was stolen from a home on Bay Reach Road, Pine Bay, Rehoboth Beach. Sgt. Walter Newton, state police spokesman, said the keys had been left in the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck when someone stole it sometime between the evening of Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15. The truck is a two-door, silver-colored model with a beach tag on the front. The Delaware tag is a designer SPCA tag: C86035. There is an American flag decal to the left of the rear tag. Police are asking anyone who sees the truck to call 911 or Troop 7 at 644-5020.

• Leslie Small arrested for murder

A man wearing dark clothing entered Shore Stop at 25776 Deep Branch Road east of Milton at about 8:45 p.m. Police said the man, whose face was concealed, brandished a knife, demanding an undisclosed amount of money from the store clerk.

The store clerk complied and said the robber left the store in a southwest direction. The clerk was not injured. The Delaware State Police searched the area, using a police dog, but have been unable to track the suspect.

“Right now it’s still pending, but we are seeking any information from the public,” said Delaware State Police Public Information Officer Cpl. Angela Garnsey. Anyone with any information pertaining to the robbery is urged to contact Delaware State Troop 4 at 856-5850, or Crime Stoppers at 800-TIP-3333.

Agents make arrests for fishing violations
Delaware Department of Resources and Environmental Control Fish and Wildlife Enforcement agents arrested two men in two separate cases involving alleged undersize fish in hidden compartments. The agents also fined five others for not having the required Delaware Fisherman Information Network number. The violations were found during routine vessel safety inspections.

Sgt. Greg Rhodes stated in a press release that agents arrested a 68-year-old Baltimore man Saturday, Nov. 7, for possession of 11 undersize tautog, which agents found in a hidden compartment on his boat, which was near Lewes. The man was also charged with possession of two undersized channeled conch, failure to display a boat license and not having a Fisherman Information Network (F.I.N.) number. He was fined $981.
Rhodes said three passengers aboard the same boat were fined $91 each for not having F.I.N. numbers. The men were from Glen Burnie, Md., and Wilmington.

Agents made more arrests in Lewes the next day, when they charged a 57-year-old Glen Burnie, Md. man with possession of nine undersized tautog, which agents found in a hidden compartment on his boat. The defendant was also charged with not having a F.I.N. number. He was fined $645. Two passengers on his boat also were fined $91 for not having F.I.N. numbers. One was from Ellicott City, Md., and the other was from Laurel, Md.

Delaware requires all anglers fishing in Delaware waters, age 16 and older, licensed or not, to obtain a F.I.N. number. License-exempt Delaware residents 65 and older and unlicensed anglers who fish from a licensed vessel are included in the requirement.

The Delaware registry was created to meet new federal requirements. Anglers are required to carry the number with them when fishing. There is no charge for a F.I.N. number, which may be obtained online at delaware-fin.com, or by calling a 24-hour toll-free line at 800-432-9228. For more information on Delaware’s F.I.N. registry, contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife, Fisheries Section, at 302-739-9914.

Police cite 33 for seat-belt violations
Officers participating in a stepped-up statewide enforcement effort to save lives by getting more Delawareans to buckle up, issued 33 citations for seat belt violations between Nov. 2-8. This brings the total number of seat belt citations issued in the first 10 weeks of the campaign to 677.

Enforcement and awareness mobilization, which launched Aug. 1, as part of a four-month-long safety initiative created after results from observational seat belt surveys conducted by the Office of Highway Safety in June revealed that the state’s 2009 statewide use rate declined from 91 percent last year to 88 percent this year. To date this year, 59 percent of drivers and passengers killed since Jan. 1 have not been buckled up.

Eight county and municipal police agencies, primarily located in Sussex and New Castle counties, are conducting either traffic safety patrols and/or checkpoints looking for unbuckled drivers and passengers. Enforcement is occurring both day and night and will continue through the end of November, including the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt.  Officers will be issuing citations for seat belt violations as part of a zero tolerance policy. The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, is a $25.00 fine plus court administrative fees, which can eventually total more than $70.

Lewes Pfc. Chatham Marsch receives Police Officer of the Year Award