Milton woman arrested after armed robbery at Dollar General in Lewes
LEWES, DE – A 41-year-old woman from Milton is in custody after troopers say she robbed a Dollar General store in Lewes Monday night, implied she had a gun, and fled with cash before being arrested an hour later when her vehicle broke down miles away.
Delaware State Police responded around 7:00 p.m. on January 13 to the Dollar General located at 1549 Savannah Road. Employees reported that a masked woman wearing white sweatpants and a dark sweatshirt approached them, implied she was armed, and demanded money. The suspect accessed the cash register, took an undisclosed amount of money, and fled the scene in a blue Ford Focus with a Delaware license plate.
Just before 8:00 p.m., troopers were dispatched to Staytonville Road in Lincoln for a report of a disabled blue Ford Focus blocking the roadway. Upon arrival, troopers encountered the driver, who matched the description of the robbery suspect. She was identified as Shelly Sortino, and a computer check revealed an active capias warrant. Troopers also determined that the license plate on her vehicle was stolen.
Sortino was arrested without incident and taken to Troop 7 for processing. Investigators confirmed through additional evidence that she was the individual involved in the Lewes robbery.
She has been charged with:
- Robbery 1st Degree – Uses/Threatens Use of Dangerous Instrument (Felony)
- Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
Sortino was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $33,000 secured bond.
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Key Points
- Shelly Sortino, 41, was arrested after allegedly robbing a Dollar General in Lewes
- She implied she had a gun, took cash from the register, and fled in a stolen-tagged vehicle
- Sortino was caught an hour later when her car broke down in Lincoln
