Newark Man Charged With Falsely Reporting Incident And Trading Away Girlfriend’s Car

Location: New Castle County, Delaware

Date: September 16th, 2009, October 10th, 2009 and October 11th, 2009

Suspect(s): Andrew Pruitt, 26, of Paper Mill Road in Newark, Delaware

Resume: To explain this story and how it unfolded, the following release is set forth sequentially….

On Wednesday, Sept 16th, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Troopers were called by Andrew Pruitt who advised officers that he was in the parking lot of the Gulf Station, 2603 Capitol Trail, when he was approached by three or four male subjects. Pruitt advised a robbery ensued at which time he was assaulted and his wallet and cell phone were stolen.

Mr. Pruitt had some injury to his face; however, witnesses contacted at the scene advised they saw no such altercation. Troopers took the report and continued to investigate Pruitt’s claim.

On October 10th, Troopers were called to a Paper Mill Road address in reference to an Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle report. In this case, it was determined that Andrew Pruitt had taken his girlfriend’s vehicle, a 2004 Subaru Legacy, without her permission and fled the home.

Officers took the information pertaining to the missing car and cleared the scene to check the area for the vehicle. While officers were out canvassing the vicinity, they got a call from the vehicle’s owner who advised Pruitt was back at the home, however, he could not advise where the missing car was. Before officers could respond and apprehend him, he left the house again.

The following morning, October 11th, Troopers received a tip call advising Pruitt was at an undisclosed residence in Newark. A computer check revealed Pruitt was currently wanted for failing to appear in the Court of Common Pleas so Troopers responded to this Newark home and took him into custody without incident. He was transported back to Troop 6 for questioning.

Back at Troop 6, officers spoke with Pruitt who advised he had actually traded his girlfriend’s car in exchange for drugs in the City of Wilmington. He did not know where the car currently was and did not know who he traded it to.

After learning this information, Troopers re-interviewed Pruitt about the original robbery report from September (it turned out the same shift that working the day the robbery claim was made was working on this day as well and Troopers remembered him). He admitted lying to police about the robbery and advised he was beaten up in the City of Wilmington by a group of males who thought he had drugs or money on him. He concocted the robbery story to cover his tracks.

Andrew Pruitt was formally charged with the following two offenses: Falsely Reporting an Incident (misdemeanor) and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (misdemeanor). He was committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institute in lieu of a $1,000.00 secured bond.

Note: The Subaru Legacy is still outstanding. It is white in color and is displaing Delaware tag: PC402397. Anyone who spots this vehicle should call 911.