Burglary Suspect Caught Fleeing The Scene Thanks To Witnesses

Location: Texaco, 2501 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, New Castle County

Date of Occurrence: January 11th, 2009 and October 15th, 2009

Suspect(s): Gerald Bulat, 29, of West Reamer Avenue in Wilmington, Delaware

Resume: At approximately 3:00 a.m. on October 15th, several residents along the 2500 block of Newport Gap Pike were awakened to the sound of a loud crash. These witnesses turned their attention to the Texaco, located at 2501 Newport Gap Pike, and saw a Dodge Dakota backing into the front door of the business.

With the front door damaged, the driver got out the truck and walked into the business. He obtained cigarettes and cash and made his way back to the truck. As the Dakota was fleeing the scene the witnesses provided its description to responding units.

A Troop 6 patrol officer stopped the truck in the area of Prices Corner and took Gerald Butler into custody after a struggle.

He was transported back to Troop 6 where a Troop 2 burglary detective assumed the investigation. It was learned that Bulat had stolen the Dodge from a home on Troy Avenue just a few hours prior to the burglary. Investigative measures had then linked Bulat to another burglary at this same Texaco back on January 11th. In this case, he also had backed a vehicle up into the business allowing him to gain entry and steal goods from within.

Gerald Bulat was formally charged with the following offenses: two counts of Burglary (felony), two counts of Theft (misdemeanor), Criminal Mischief (felony), two counts of Criminal Mischief (misdemeanor), Resisting Arrest (felony) and Receiving Stolen Property (felony). Bail was set at $8,000.00 secured and Bulat was committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institute.