Daylight robbery, assault in Dewey Beach

A lazy Sunday at the beach was ruined for one Dewey Beach visitor when he was robbed and beaten on a public street in broad daylight.

A 20-year-old man from Beaver, Pa., a small town near Pittsburgh, called Dewey Beach Police Aug. 7, and said two men jumped out of a car at the intersection of Swedes Street and Bayard Avenue and demanded his backpack.

“It is unusual,” said Dewey Beach Police Sgt. Cliff Dempsey.

According to a Dewey Beach Police report, the victim at first refused to hand over his backpack, which contained cash, credit cards and a cell phone.  Suspect Stephen Mazza, 25, who stepped out of the passenger’s side of the car, punched the victim several times.

Police said suspect Matthew Dillon, 27, who was driving, flashed a handgun, hidden under his shirt, at the victim.  According to the report, Dillon asked the victim if he wanted to die today.  Dillon and Mazza then took the man’s backpack and drove away.

As the suspects, both of Georgetown, headed toward Coastal Highway, the victim wrote down the black Lincoln Town Car's license plate number.  Police used the information to identify the assailants.

Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach and Lewes police departments joined efforts and located the car less than two hours after the incident.  The car was parked at the Schooner Inn in Lewes, and the suspects were seen on the corner of Second Street and Savannah Road.

Dillon and Mazza fled, but Dillon was found soon after in an apartment in the Schooner Inn.  The search for Mazza continued with help from Delaware State Police, but he has not been found. Dempsey said he received information that Mazza had fled the area in a silver car.  “We are still investigating,” Dempsey said.

According to Dempsey, Mazza was identified after police interviewed Dillon and people at the Schooner Inn.  He said both suspects have prior criminal records.  Lewes Police Department in particular was familiar with the suspects and the black Lincoln Town Car they were driving, Dempsey said.

Dempsey said, “It’s a perfect example of a multiagency investigation, and it came together almost flawlessly."

Dillon was charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, possession of a deadly weapon, conspiracy and terroristic threatening.  He was jailed in Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown on $67,000 bail.

Charges are pending for Mazza.  Dewey Beach Police ask that anyone with information on Mazza’s whereabouts call 302-227-1110.