OCEAN VIEW, Del. — Authorities are searching for a Brooklyn woman who fled during a high-speed pursuit in Ocean View last week and is believed to be part of a larger organized retail theft ring operating across state lines.
On April 8, around 7 p.m., Ocean View Police spotted a suspicious vehicle in the driveway of a vacant home in the Country Estates development. When officers attempted a stop, the vehicle — a gray Nissan Altima with New York plates — fled at high speed, forcing other vehicles off the road as it sped through town.
According to Ocean View Police Chief Kenneth McLaughlin, the female passenger rolled out of the car during the chase near Route 54 and fled on foot. She remains at large, but has since been identified, and authorities are working with Delaware State Police and Ocean City Police to obtain warrants and extradition from New York.
“We are confident she and her partner are part of a retail theft organization,” McLaughlin said. “They rent a car in New York, send people with a shopping list to hit multiple stores, then return with thousands in stolen goods.”
The driver, Trumane Anthony Gibbs, 31, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was apprehended after fleeing the vehicle on foot. He was located behind a home on Tabernacle Lane and taken into custody.
Gibbs faces multiple charges, including:
Disregarding a police officer’s signal
Offensive touching (including of an officer and with saliva)
Driving without a license
Reckless driving (over 90 mph)
Failure to remain in a lane and obey traffic signs
He is currently held at Sussex Correctional Institution on $3,750 cash bail.
Police believe the suspects had targeted CVS locations, stealing items like allergy medications to sell in New York bodegas. “We’ve seen this before,” McLaughlin added. “Last summer, a similar ring stole over $15,000 in skincare products.”
The female suspect’s extradition remains uncertain due to legal limitations between states. “Sometimes New York is reluctant to extradite,” McLaughlin said. “But we’re pursuing every option.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Ocean View Police Department.