Police K-9 Finds Burglary Suspect Hiding Inside Residence

State of DE - On Saturday, July 11, 2026, around 11:00 p.m., officers responded to Saratoga Court in the Valley Wood community of Newark, Delaware for a burglary in progress. The homeowner reported that they found an open basement door and someone was inside who shouldn't have been there.

Officers arrived quickly, including K-9 Vudu and his handler. They called out several times, giving anyone hiding inside a chance to come out or speak up. No one answered the warnings, so K-9 Vudu was sent inside to search for the suspect.

K-9 Vudu didn't take long to find his target. He located 25-year-old Jimi Payne of Folcroft, Pennsylvania, hiding under a pile of blankets in the basement. Payne had apparently hoped the blankets would keep him out of sight but that was not the case.

Things got tense for a moment when Payne grabbed Vudu by the snout and tried to shove him away. Officers moved in fast, got Payne under control, and took him into custody without any further problems.

Vudu walked away unharmed, though one officer suffered a minor injury and was treated and released.

Payne was taken to New Castle County Police Headquarters, where he was booked on several serious charges. He now faces one felony count of Burglary First Degree, one felony count of Assault Second Degree for injuring a law enforcement officer, one felony count of Resisting Arrest, and one misdemeanor count of Harassment.

He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released after posting $8,100 unsecured bail.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.