DEWEY BEACH, Del. - For Doug Kennedy, the vandalism at Woody’s Dewey Beach hit close to home. “It’s really part of the fabric of Dewey Beach,” Kennedy said. “As soon as I heard what happened, I was pretty upset. I walked down and took a look at it, and they were cleaning everything up. It’s just a shame somebody would do that.”
Kennedy said the holiday weekend can also bring a younger crowd to town. “It’s kind of amateur hour,” Kennedy said. “It’s graduation time of year, so you get a lot of kids that are coming down here and acting up.”
Woody’s reopened over the weekend, but Kennedy said people in town were still upset that someone would damage a Dewey Beach institution.
Police say 23-year-old, Joseph Hoyle, from Middletown turned himself in after allegedly causing more than $6,000 in damage during a burglary and vandalism incident at Woody’s Dewey Beach. (Woody's Dewey Beach)
Police said 23-year-old Joseph Hoyle, of Middletown, turned himself in after witnesses reported seeing him on the restaurant’s deck early Saturday morning. Witnesses told police they thought he was an employee.
Hoyle is charged with third-degree burglary, felony criminal mischief and criminal trespass. Woody’s said the vandalism caused about $6,000 in damage, most of it involving a television.
The arrest came after a busy Memorial Day weekend in Dewey Beach. Police expected more than 30,000 people in town and were especially watching for jaywalking.
The fine for jaywalking in Dewey Beach is $111. Still, some people were seen trying their luck over the weekend. Kennedy said aside from the Woody’s break-in, the weekend did not feel too out of the ordinary.
Town Manager Bill Zolper also reminded visitors and residents that Dewey Beach’s curfew remains in effect. Anyone 17 or younger must be with an adult between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
