State Police K9 Apprehends Burglary Suspect, Dagsboro

Location: 30000 block of Molly Field Road, Dagsboro, DE

Date of Occurrence: Wednesday July 11, 2012 at approximately 5:11 p.m.

Victim: 61 year old male

Defendant, Charges, and Bond Information:

Tucumma Y. Griffin, 36, Dagsboro, DE (Photo Attached)
Burglary 3rd
Theft of a Firearm (2 counts)
Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited (2 counts)
Criminal Trespass 3rd
Resisting Arrest
Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle

Arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correction Institution on $7,000.00 secured bond.

Resume:
Dagsboro, DE- A Delaware State Police K9 apprehended a Dagsboro man after he resisted arrest.

The incident occurred Wednesday evening around 5:00 p.m. as troopers were called to a residence at the 30000 block of Molly Field Road west of Dagsboro for a burglary complaint. Troopers made contact with a 61 year old male victim who stated he had two shotguns stolen from his shed. The victim was not aware of this until he was contacted by an Officer from Blades Police Department informing him that Tucumma Y. Griffin was in possession of them. The victim informed the troopers that Griffin was an ex-boyfriend of his daughter and had been living in the woods behind his house. Troopers began searching the wooded area and were unable to locate Griffin and departed the area.

Information was received from Blades P.D. that Tucumma Griffin was stopped for a traffic violation on July 7, 2012 and gave a false name. A search conducted by the officer yielded a 12 gauge shotgun, but a computer check of the name that was given did not warrant the gun to be seized and the gun did not come back stolen. The vehicle was then towed and Griffin was released with a traffic citation under the false name.

Troopers were called back to the residence on Molly Field Road later Wednesday evening when the victim had confronted Griffin in his back yard. The victim informed the troopers that Griffin had run back into the woods. A Delaware State Police Helicopter (Trooper 2) along with a State Police K9 "Focus" and officers from Millsboro Police Department responded to the area to assist with searching for the suspect. “Focus” was able to track the suspect to a wooded area behind a house located near US 113 and when Griffin failed to respond to the K9 handlers numerous requests to surrender, Focus was sent in to apprehend him.

Tucumma Griffin was then taken into custody and transported to Beebe Hospital where he was treated for bite wounds and released. He was transported back to Troop 4 in Georgetown where he was arrested on the above listed charges. He was arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $7,000.00 secured bond.

Griffin currently has warrants for his arrest out of Blades P.D. Media may contact Blades P.D. about the incident and nature of the warrants directly.