Three men, including two U.S. Marines believed to be absent without leave, were arrested following a weekend break-in at a local furniture store.
The incident took place at 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Magnolia Furniture Store, South Main Street, said Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Walter Newton.
Troopers arrived at the scene to find a rock had been thrown through a front window and that someone apparently had entered the business, Newton said. Further investigation showed the burglars had tried and failed to remove the store’s cash register.
Additional evidence led officers to a home on West Walnut Street, Magnolia, where they made the arrests after finding more evidence linking the men to the crime, Newton said.
The men were identified as Clayton Semans, 18, of Magnolia, Larry Gonzalez, 19, of Picayune, Miss., and Kyle Calder, 18, of Dover.
Semans and Gonzalez are reportedly AWOL from Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, N.C., Newton said.
All three were charged with burglary, attempted theft, conspiracy and criminal mischief, then released on unsecured bail pending an appearance in the Kent County Court of Common Pleas.
Attempts to contact a public information officer at Camp Lejeune to verify the status of Semans and Gonzalez or to find out if they have been returned to military control were not successful.
