REHOBOTH BEACH, DE – A Rehoboth Beach man is behind bars after police say he broke into the same restaurant twice in just over two weeks, stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of food and alcohol.
Delaware State Police said 60-year-old Craig Beckett was arrested Monday after troopers found him riding a bicycle near 302 The Local with stolen food in his backpack.
Investigators later linked him to an earlier burglary at the same business, located along Coastal Highway.
According to police, the first break-in happened the morning of September 27, when a suspect forced his way into the restaurant’s outdoor walk-in refrigerator and took about $2,000 worth of food and alcoholic beverages.
On October 13, around 3 p.m., troopers were again called to the restaurant after another theft from the same refrigerator. Witnesses described the suspect as a man dressed in all black and carrying a white backpack, who fled the scene on a bicycle.
Repeat burglary leads to quick arrest
Troopers searching the area soon spotted Beckett, who matched the description, riding nearby with a white backpack. When they stopped him, they reportedly found the stolen food inside.
Beckett was taken into custody without incident and brought to Troop 7, where detectives determined he was also responsible for the earlier burglary.
Facing multiple felony charges
Beckett was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $14,000 secured bond. He faces two counts of third-degree burglary, possession of burglar tools, felony theft, misdemeanor theft, and two counts of criminal mischief.
Authorities said no injuries were reported in either incident.