Police make arrests after 13 robberies in less than 3 weeks

NEW CASTLE, DE (WTXF) - Two people are now charged in connection with more than a dozen robberies that took place in New Castle County over the past three weeks.

Delaware State Police announced they arrested Mark A. Mulrooney of New Castle on Tuesday afternoon while he was leaving the 7-Eleven on Gerald Drive in Newark. They said he'd just robbed the store.

They also arrested Jessica Hetzler of Chester, PA, and said she was sitting "in a vehicle a short distance away, waiting for Mulrooney."

Then, Robbery Unit detectives linked the pair to a series of gas station and convenience store robberies in Wilmington and New Castle, which began on May 8.

Police said in each case, Mulrooney would enter the targeted business, confront the store clerk and imply he was armed. Then, he'd demand cash from the register and run to a waiting vehicle. Detectives say Hetzler drove Mulrooney in three of the incidents. There were no injuries in any of the robberies.

Detectives linked Mulrooney and Hetzler to these robberies:
1. Sunoco, 1201 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, May 8.
2. 7-Eleven, 4865 Governor Printz Boulevard, Wilmington, May 8.
3. Valero, 891 S. DuPont Highway, New Castle, May 8.
4. Exxon, 1801 Foulk Road, Wilmington, May 9.
5. 7-Eleven, 284 Christiana Road, New Castle, May 15.
6. Shell, 299 Christiana Road, New Castle, May 16.
7. Dash In, 400 Pulaski Highway, New Castle, May 16.
8. BP, 601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, May 16.
9. BP, 601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, May 17.
10. Dash In, 288 Christiana Road, New Castle, May 18.
11. Market Place, 752 W. Basin Road, New Castle, May 19.
12. BP, 601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, May 21.
13. Gulf, 752 W. Basin Road, New Castle, May 22.

Mulrooney is charged with four counts of robbery 1st degree, ten counts of robbery 2nd degree, two counts of conspiracy 2nd degree, one count of attempted robbery 1st degree and one count of shoplifting. He couldn't post $154,000 cash and $1,000 secured bail, so he'd being held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution.

Hetzler is charged with one count of robbery 1st degree, one count of robbery 2nd degree and two counts of conspiracy 2nd degree. She couldn't post $29,000 secured bail, so she's being held at the Delores Baylor Correctional Institution.