Lewes man charged in thefts from vehicles

A Lewes man faces charges after police say he stole items from vehicles in Lewes and Angola for weeks.

Police began investigating July 8 after receiving several reports of a man going into unlocked vehicles and stealing money and property. On July 17, police said a trooper on patrol at 4:40 a.m. in the Henlopen Landing neighborhood saw a man wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt and carrying a backpack. They tried to contact him, but he ran off and was arrested a short time later, police said.

Police took William Rodenbaugh, 31, to Troop 7 and charged him with felony theft under $1,500 victim over 62, third-degree burglary, nine counts of theft under $1,500, 12 counts of second-degree criminal trespass, third-degree criminal trespass and resisting arrest. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $1,500 secured bond.