New Castle County police warn of sophisticated burglary rings, urge more cameras and community steps

Chief Jamie Leonard and investigators from the New Castle County Police Department told the county council at an Oct. 14 public safety meeting that burglaries and auto thefts have evolved into more sophisticated, often out‑of‑state operations and recommended expanded camera coverage and simple resident precautions.

The presentation, delivered by Sergeant Robert McGuire of the department's criminal investigations unit, said the department's burglary clearance rate is substantially higher than the national average and that the nature of burglaries has changed. "Delaware sits in the national average for per capita burglaries... for New Castle County Police Department, we average, annually somewhere in the neighborhood about 40% clearance rates," McGuire said, noting the department recorded a 44% clearance rate in 2024. He added investigators now face more organized groups…