The Delaware State Police arrested 65-year-old Eric Tillman on June 8th after a months-long investigation into organized retail theft. According to police, Tillman was recruiting individuals struggling with drug addiction to steal merchandise from multiple businesses in New Castle County.
Tillman targeted retailers such as Giant, Walgreens, CVS, Target, and the Kenny Family ShopRite stores. The stolen items were then transported to a storage unit in New Jersey before being resold at flea markets throughout the state.
On June 29th, police announced that they had recovered approximately 4,317 items of suspected stolen merchandise with an estimated retail value of $70,292.36 from searches conducted on Tillman's Wilmington residence and a storage unit in New Jersey.
Tillman was charged with Theft – Organized Retail Crime (Felony), Receiving Stolen Property (Felony), and Conspiracy Second Degree (Felony). He was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court and released on an $8,000 unsecured bond.