A masked suspect armed with a gun walked into Eagle Tobacco on Miller Road, displayed the weapon to a clerk, and demanded cash and tobacco products before running off into the night. The clerk handed over what was asked, and the suspect fled the area, leaving investigators to piece together who the suspect was and where the suspect went.
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, Delaware State Police troopers responded to the scene at approximately 9:10 p.m. The suspect, described as wearing dark clothing and a mask, had already entered the store, displayed a firearm and made off with cash and tobacco products by the time officers arrived. Officials said no one was injured during the encounter, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Troopers Seek Tips as Search Continues
Detectives are now asking anyone with information about the robbery to come forward. Tips can be sent to Detective D. Patterson at 302-365-8471, through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333, or via a private message to Delaware State Police on Facebook. No arrest has been announced, and police have not released a description of the suspect's direction of travel.
This is not the first time the Miller Road property has drawn police attention. Back in February 2025, officers were dispatched to 3505 Miller Road at roughly 7 a.m. after a break-in was reported at Eagle Tobacco Shop and Eagle Wireless, as detailed by mychesco.com. Investigators in that case determined the burglar or burglars had cut a hole through the building's roof to get inside, making off with an undisclosed amount of cash along with three handguns. As of that report's publication, no suspects had been identified and the case remained under investigation.
A Pattern Among Delaware-Area Tobacco Shops
Armed robberies at tobacco retailers have surfaced elsewhere in the region too. In Newark, a man named Russell “Rocky” Messick, 28, was arrested after an armed robbery at State Line Cigarette Outlet on Elkton Road, near the Maryland state line, according to the Newark Post. That robbery happened at 6:30 p.m. on March 23, when a suspect displayed a black handgun and a knife, demanded the clerk open the register, and took an undisclosed sum of cash. Messick was ultimately charged with first-degree robbery, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and other related offenses.
Whether the current case at Eagle Tobacco is connected to prior incidents at the same Miller Road property has not been established. For now, the investigation into Friday night's robbery continues, with Delaware State Police relying on the public for leads that might identify the armed, masked suspect who walked away with cash and merchandise.
