Delaware duo charged for allegedly staging Home Depot robbery

Police in Newark, Delaware have arrested two people for allegedly staging a Home Depot robbery last month.

Home Depot employee Jasmin Rodriguez, 22, initially told police that a man entered the store’s garden center June 10 and handed her a note implying that he was armed and demanding cash, according to investigators. She allegedly turned over an undisclosed amount of money to the suspect.

Police said a further investigation revealed the suspect, Christopher Schmidt, 40, was an acquaintance of Rodriguez’s and the two planned the robbery, then shared the proceeds.

Rodriguez was arrested today and is charged with theft, conspiracy and filing a false report. She is free on a $1,500 unsecured bond.

Schmidt is charged with theft and conspiracy. He is already jailed at the Howard
R. Young Correctional Institute for his alleged involvement in the unrelated robberies of Cigarette City in Newark and Holiday Hair and Super Dry Cleaners in Bear.