Does it surprise you to learn that drug use increases the likelihood of shoplifting? Drugs are found in almost 50% of all convicted criminals now serving jail time.

Father-Son As reported in www.delawareonline.com.

A father and son were arrested Tuesday following a shoplifting complaint at Home Depot that led to the father being charged with heroin possession, New Castle police said Wednesday.

Daniel Saunders III, 37, of the first block of Seventh St. in Wilmington, was charged with with possession of heroin, shoplifting and conspiracy. His 19-year-old son, Daniel Saunders IV, who lives in the 1800 block of Maple St. in Wilmington, was charged with shoplifting and conspiracy, said Senior Lt. Adam Brams.

Officers were called to the Home Depot in the Airport Plaza on U.S. 13 to investigate a shoplifting complaint where one man was being held and the second had fled.

The pair was attempting to return merchandise they had just stolen to the store for a refund, Brams said.

Officers found the father on U.S. 13 near the Crown Motel and arrested him.

At the time of his arrest, officers found 10 bags of heroin and drug paraphernalia in his possession, Brams said.

Saunders III, who is considered an habitual offender by the court, also was charged with violation of probation.

He was committed to Young Correctional Institution after failing to post $18,000 cash bail.

His son was released pending a court hearing.

Drugs and Theft 2

Police investigating reports of a shoplifting at a St. Albans department store on Tuesday ended up charging a Dunbar man with drug possession.

Officers went to Kmart around 8:30 p.m. after store security said two men were trying to hide merchandise. Police stopped the men as they were leaving the store, Capt. James Agee of the St. Albans Police Department said

Officers searched Cory M. Marshall, 21, of Dunbar, and found 49 Clonazepam pills, Xanax, crack cocaine and heroin, Agee said. He said Marshall also had $1,500 in cash.

Marshall was arrested and charged with four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He was at the South Central Regional Jail this morning, with bail set at $100,000.

Agee said the other man allegedly had several CDs in his possession, worth about $76. He said the CDs were recovered, but could not be resold. The man was charged in St. Albans Municipal Court with simple possession of marijuana and first-offense shoplifting.