POLICE: Del. man arrested, faces assault and kidnapping charges
Delaware State Police have arrested a Millsboro man after he allegedly entered a home armed, assaulted the victims and then kidnapped them.
Police say at approximately 9:43 AM, Troopers were dispatched to the M&T Bank located at 19511 Camelot Drive, in reference to a victim reporting she was kidnapped and her car was stolen.
Upon arrival, police say they came into contact with an 81-year-old female victim who said that a suspect left the bank with her husband in the trunk of her vehicle.
The car was found parked behind the Subway at 19470 Coastal Highway. The victim's 82-year-old husband was found and the suspect had fled on foot.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect, Steven Snell, had went to the victims' home located in the Rehoboth Beach Yacht and Country Club earlier in the morning.
Police say Snell got in the home through an open garage door and once inside, he came into contact with the male victim, and asked to use the house phone.
After Snell used the phone, he asked the victim for a drink. Police say the victim gave Snell a drink of water and when he proceeded to turn around, Snell grabbed him from behind and put a box cutter to his throat.
A brief struggle ensued in which the victim received a laceration to his chin. The victim proceeded to yell for his wife who was upstairs.
According to police, as the victim's wife went downstairs, she was met by Snell who pushed her to the floor.
Police say Snell then grabbed rope that he had in his book bag and tied the male victim's arms behind his back and his feet together.
Snell then allegedly took cash out of the man's pocket and the woman's purse, along with a M&T Bank Card.
Police say Snell then placed the man into the trunk of the victim's car and the woman in the front passengers seat and left the home.
As they arrived at M&T Bank, Snell allegedly ordered the woman to withdraw cash from the ATM machine.
After she did that, she tried to hold onto a railing as Snell began to try and pull her back to the vehicle. A customer had arrived at this time and saw what was going on, at which point Snell let the woman go and fled the area in the vehicle with her husband still inside the trunk.
The female then went into the bank and asked for help.
While still in the trunk, the male victim realized the car had come to a stop. He was able to free his hands, find a release button inside the trunk and get out of the car. He was treated at the scene and the female victim was not injured during this incident.
Through investigative measures, Troopers were able to identify Snell as the suspect. Snell was later apprehended without incident at a home located in Potnets, Creek Side, Millsboro.
He was taken back to Troop 7 where he was charged with 2 counts of Kidnapping First Degree, 3 counts of Robbery First Degree Displays What Appears to be a Deadly Weapon, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, Home Invasion, Assault Second Degree, Theft of a Motor Vehicle, and Offensive Touching.
Snell was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $362,100.00 cash only bond.
