Gumboro residents want answers to weeklong police activity down dirt road

Gumboro residents are abuzz about police presence on a dirt road off Westwoods Road that began Jan. 14. 

Neighbors said police were most recently on R Farm Lane on Jan. 21. Later Thursday, a Delaware Department of Transportation truck towed an industrial light down the road, out of sight, and then left without it. Three trucks marked “forensics” showed up and parked north of R Farms Lane on Westwoods Road.

From Jan. 16 through Wednesday, state police responded to Delmarva Now questions saying there was an "active and ongoing investigation," furthering the frustration of neighbors who were told there is "no threat to public safety."

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Crystal Tingle lives on a farm on Westwoods Road. Her grandfather owns land that neighbors R Farm Lane. The land owner was unable to be reached.

The night of Jan. 13, Tingle noticed a helicopter spotlighting the woods around R Farm Lane. The next morning, there was “a parade of unmarked SUVs, state police, trailers with Bobcats on the back — like digging equipment,” she said. 

Some of the vehicles parked on Westwoods Road, but most entered R Farm Lane, according to Tingle. Vehicles were steadily coming in and out of the road Jan. 14 and 15, including at least one with a DelDOT logo, she said. 

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A DelDOT spokesperson said the agency "provides assistance to incidents as requested by Delaware State Police.” 

Tingle walked the property line with her two stepdaughters Jan. 19. The area is overrun with briars, making it impossible to get a clear view of anything beyond them, but from Tingle’s property, two trailers and a house without a door were visible on R Farm Lane.  

A handful of large dogs could be seen and heard on the property. Some of them were in makeshift pens, some on chains, some loose. Some appeared malnourished. They wandered between heaps of trash, cars and scrap metal.

The Delaware Office of Animal Welfare said they investigated the property in July 2020. No charges were filed.