UPDATE: Lewes Police Arrest Man Whose Abandoned Truck was Found on Savannah Beach Loaded with Weapons

Image courtesy Lewes Police

UPDATE – 6:40pm – Lewes Police were called to the area of East Savannah Road around 12:30am for a suspicious man – possibly suffering from mental health issues. They contacted 30 year old Alexander Gard, who is from Maryland. Gard told Police his truck was stolen while at the Wawa on Route 1 and in the area looking for it. Police offered to take him to Troop 7 to report the stolen vehicle, but he said he’d contacted a friend to pick him up.

Around 6:30am Police were called to Savannah Beach for an abandoned truck stuck in the sand. Police found the truck unsecured with no occupants and the license plates removed. A check showed the truck belonged to Alexander Gard – but attempts to locate him were unsuccessful.

Police towed the vehicle from the sand and a search turned up three 9mm handguns, a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 style scoped rifle, multiple edged weapons, brass knuckles and several hundred rounds of ammunition.

Out of an abundance of caution Cape Schools were placed in a secure status and police followed several leads to learn Guard was staying at an Airbnb outside of Lewes.

Gard was located at a location on Minos Conaway Road around 10:30am and arrested. Gard is currently homeless, but is a convicted felon in Virginia and on probation in Maryland. Guard is charged with the following offenses:

• 5 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (a Person Prohibited), a class B Felony   
• 6 Counts of Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited due to Prior Violent Felony Crime, a Class D Felony.

Gard is being held at SCI in default of a $65,000 secured bail.

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UPDATE: Lewes Police Chief Thomas Spell tells the Talk of Delmarva that the secure status has been lifted for area schools and that they do have a person in custody. According to Lewes Police, a Ford Ranger pickup truck was found stuck in the sand near the water. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered several weapons including three handguns, a shotgun, and an assault-style rifle, along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition. The truck is registered to a person from Maryland. The male individual is currently being detained at the Lewes Police Department as the investigation into the incident continues.

Original Post:

The Cape Gazette is reporting that schools in the downtown Lewes area are on lockdown today after an abandoned truck with guns, knives, and ammunition inside was found early this morning in the sand on Lewes’ main beach. Police are working to find the driver. The Talk of Delmarva will have more information as details and updates become available.