Duo hit local man with rake, tie him up in garage and steal marijuana

A pair of New Jersey men were arrested and charged with robbery after they beat up a 23-year-old Millsboro man and stole his marijuana, according to Delaware State Police.

DSP say it happened around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday when the homeowner of a residence located in the 30,000 block of Gull Point Road called 911 to report that a tenant was tied up in the garage.

Upon troopers arrival, it was discovered that the victim had been assaulted by two males that initially stopped by the house and asked to rake leaves.

The two men, who had rakes in their hands, were informed that their service was not needed.

The victim and the two men reportedly began talking when one of the men struck him in the face with a rake, causing him to fall to the ground.

According to police, the duo then dragged the the 23-year-old to the garage where they zip-tied his hands and feet together before one of the men put a knife to his neck demanding to know where his "weed" was located.

Authorities say that once the two men obtained the marijuana, they fled the area in a black Mitsubishi Galant with New Jersey registration.

Information regarding the vehicle was broadcast over the radio and a trooper responding to the area spotted the vehicle.

The trooper was then able to perform a traffic stop on Oak Orchard Road and then placed Miguel R. Velasquez, 20, and Kent A. Mautes, 21, both of Edison, New Jersey, under arrest.

A search of the vehicle yielded 301.2 grams of marijuana.

The two men were transported back to Troop 4 in Georgetown where they was charged with first degree Robbery, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Assault 2nd, Burglary 2nd, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), Aggravated Menacing, Conspiracy 2nd, Terroristic Threatening, and Possession of Marijuana.

The were both arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $70,000.00 secured bond.

The victim was reportedly transported to an area hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.