BEAR, Del. -
Delaware State Police have arrested two men following an investigation into two burglaries that occurred recently in Bear.
On December 28, at approximately 4:57 a.m., troopers responded to the Shell gas station located at 841 Pulaski Highway in Bear regarding a burglary.
Police say troopers learned that two men had driven a stolen 2010 blue Chevrolet Cobalt into the front door of the convenience store and forced their way inside. The men removed numerous packs of cigarettes and other items before fleeing the scene. Troopers were unable to locate the car or the suspects, and the car was not recovered.
On December 30, at around 11:31 p.m., troopers again responded to the same Shell gas station for another burglary.
According to police, in this incident, the same two men had driven a stolen 2013 turquoise Honda Fit into the front door, again forcing entry inside the Shell store. The men then stole additional cigarettes and fled from the area in the Honda Fit.
Police say hours later today at approximately 1:55 a.m., a trooper on patrol observed the damaged Honda Fit parked in the lot of the Budget Inn, located at 3 Memorial Drive in New Castle.
Police say the trooper also saw two men standing next to the Honda with the doors open.
Police say troopers contacted both subjects, identified as 49-year-old Roy Hayes of Middletown, Delaware and 61-year-old Michael Parker of Baltimore, Maryland, and both were taken into custody without incident. Troopers also recovered items that had been stolen in the two burglaries.