Two Felton Residents Arrested in Royal Farms Shoplifting; Both Held on Additional Warrants

Two Felton residents have been arrested in connection with a shoplifting on August 8th at the Felton Royal Farms. Police say video surveillance showed 32-year-old Dustin Shayne Jones and 30-year-old Melissa J. Pote leaving the store without paying for merchandise. Both were arrested August 12th during a Delaware State Police traffic stop and charged with shoplifting under $1,500 and third-degree conspiracy. Jones was also wanted for a probation violation, while Pote was wanted on an out-of-state fugitive warrant from Pennsylvania. Both remain in custody.

Dustin Shayne Jones

Melissa J. Pote

Additional Information from Felton Police:

On Friday August 8, 2025, at 2:06 pm the Felton Police Department was dispatched to
the 11,000 block of South DuPont Highway, the Felton Royal Farms, for a reported shoplifting
in progress. Prior to police arrival the suspects fled the store in a black Dodge Dart in an
unknown direction. During the course of the criminal investigation video surveillance obtained from Royal Farms showed an unknown black male and white female enter the Royal Farms and remove several goods from the store passing all points of sale without rendering payment. Through investigative measures Felton Police were able to positively identified both suspects and enough probable cause was established to get arrest warrants for Dustin Shayne Jones, 32, and Melissa J Pote, 30, both of Felton, DE.
On August 12, 2025 the Delaware State Police Troopers came in contact with both defendants
during a traffic stop taking them into custody without incident. Both subjects were transferred to the Felton Police Department and arrested for shoplifting under $1,500 (class A Misdemeanor) and Conspiracy 3 rd Degree (class A Misdemeanor). In addition to their warrants out of Felton PD both suspects had other active warrants at the time. Jones was also wanted and arrested on a Violation of Probation (VOP) warrant and Pote was arrested on an out of state fugitive warrant from Bucks County, PA Adult Probation and Parole. Both defendants were video arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court #2 issued a no contact order with all Royal Farms stores in the state of Delaware pending a later court date. Jones was committed to the Department of Corrections on $3,000 cash bail for his VOP. Pote was committed to the Department of Corrections with no bail awaiting her extradition to Pennsylvania. The Felton Police Department affirms all suspects are
presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.