Dover man arrested twice in one day

A town man was arrested on a shoplifting charge in the afternoon and then on drug charges in the evening after he tried to flee in his wheelchair, police said,

Officers Michael Pier and Jose Matos on Sept. 21 responded to The Home Depot at 4:46 p.m. and learned Roberto Colon, 27, was sitting in his wheelchair on top of a Mikita power drill valued at $79 and tried leaving the store without paying for it, Detective Sgt. Richard Gonzalez said.

Police arrested Colon and found a hypodermic needle on him during a search, Gonzalez said.

Colon was taken to headquarters and charged with shoplifting and possession of the needle, police said. He was released on a complaint summons.

Then, at 8:05 p.m. the same day, Officer Timothy Thiel spotted Colon and another man on First Street.

Thiel approached the two and began speaking with them when he spotted Colon attempting to hide a hypodermic needle in his coat pocket, Gonzalez said.

Thiel retrieved the needle and advised Colon that he was under arrest, police said.

Officer Anthony Scinto arrived to assist, and that’s when Colon began to leave the area in his wheelchair, ignoring multiple orders to stop.

Colon then began to remove his clothing and then threw himself onto the ground, police said.

While he was doing this, his father, Roberto Colon Sr., arrived and had a brief conversation in Spanish with his son, and then attempted to take his son’s belongings, police said.

Police warned the elder Colon not to touch the items and to stay back, police said. He disregarded all orders, grabbed his son’s clothes and ran off, police said.

Thiel stopped Colon Sr. and found four bags of heroin and one bag of marijuana in the clothing, and arrested him, Gonzalez said.

Police charged Roberto Colon Sr., 50, of Dover, with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, hindering apprehension of another, and obstruction of the administration of law, Gonzalez said.

Thiel also charged the younger Colon with possession of CDS, possession of a hypodermic needle and obstruction of the administration of law, police said.

Both were released on complaint summonses.