The Delaware State Police have arrested a 26-year-old Dagsboro man on several charges stemming from five residential burglaries throughout Sussex County where he is alleged to have stolen firearms.
The investigation began after a residential burglary occurred at a residence on Fire Tower Road, Laurel on Jan. 22. In this burglary a total of nine firearms, including rifles and shotguns, were stolen from the home. Police said their suspect, John W. Brittingham, 26, entered the home via an open garage door.
On Feb. 3, detectives recovered three of the stolen firearms from Southern Delaware Shooters, a gun store in Laurel.
As they continued with the investigation they learned that Brittingham had sold the nine stolen guns to the gun store on the same date (Jan. 22) as the burglary.
On Feb. 4, state police (DSP) investigators received a call from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department stating that they were investigating two residential firearm burglaries and that Brittingham was their suspect.
Wicomico authorities advised that Brittingham sold several of the firearms from the Maryland burglaries at Big Brad’s Gun Shop in Salisbury. Investigators from Maryland obtained a list of guns sold by John Brittingham at this gun store and consulted DSP investigators. DSP detectives discovered several firearms on the list that were reported stolen from five active burglary complaints in Delaware. These burglaries include the Fire Tower Road location and the following;
• On Feb. 1, a residential burglary involving theft of firearms occurred at a residence on Whitesville Road, Delmar where ten firearms were stolen. Brittingham made entry into the residence through an unlocked rear sliding glass window.
• On Jan. 14,, a residential burglary involving theft of firearms occurred on Jersey Road, Millsboro where four firearms were stolen. Brittingham gained entry into this residence by breaking through a residence window; on that same day, investigators also uncovered a residential burglary involving theft of firearms occurred at a residence on Hudson Road, Millsboro where five firearms were stolen.
• On Jan. 20, a residential burglary involving theft of a firearm occurred at a residence on Homestead Road, Georgetown where one firearm was stolen. Brittingham made entry through door.
Delaware authorities had already obtained arrest warrants for Brittingham for the burglary on Fire Tower Road, and after the joint investigation with Wicomico County Sheriff’s, they were able to identify him as the suspect in the other burglaries. As such, both departments continued aggressively searching for Brittingham.
On Feb. 5, at approximately 12:30 p.m., DSP detectives working with the Sussex County Governor’s Task Force, developed information that Brittingham may be in the area of Cross Keys Road, in the Millsboro area.
Shortly afterward, acting on information received, troopers conducted a traffic stop on Brittingham on Cross Keys Road (CR432) as he was driving a gold Mazda Millennia. Brittingham was taken into custody without incident. As troopers searched the vehicle, they located a small plastic bag with 1.5 grams of cocaine on the driver's side floorboard.
During an interview with Brittingham detectives obtained information which implicated him in all of the burglaries referenced above, including additional crimes committed in Maryland. DSP obtained arrest warrants and charged him with the other four burglaries. The Delaware State Police are continuing the joint investigation with Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office on these other crimes.
Brittingham was charged with the following crimes: five counts of burglary 2nd degree, 29 counts of theft of a firearm, 10 counts of possession of a deadly weapon by person prohibited, six counts of theft, two counts of criminal mischief, maintaining a vehicle for keeping controlled substances, possession of cocaine and selling a stolen firearm. He was remanded to the Sussex Correctional Institute in lieu of a $149,000 secured bond.
DAGSBORO, DEL. —
