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Two teenagers caught on camera wearing tactical-style vests and carrying what appeared to be rifles while approaching homes in a Delaware neighborhood late Friday night were pulling a prank, police said Monday.
The 16- and 17-year-old boys were identified Sunday after New Castle County police received information that helped investigators track them down following the encounters in the Mallard Pointe neighborhood.
New Castle County Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Andrea Botterbusch confirmed to Fox News Digital that officers arrested the juveniles Sunday evening.
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As part of the investigation, officers executed a search warrant at one of the teens’ homes, recovering a gel bead gun, tactical vest and hockey-style mask.
An individual wearing a black vest and mask was photographed approaching a home’s front door in the Mallard Pointe neighborhood of New Castle, Delaware. (New Castle County Police)
Both juveniles were charged with two misdemeanor counts of harassment, one misdemeanor count of criminal mischief and two criminal trespassing violations.
Police determined the teens had been knocking on residents’ doors late at night as part of a prank that alarmed neighbors, but found that no threats of violence were made.
Arraignment information for both juveniles was pending Monday.
The investigation began after residents in the Mallard Pointe neighborhood of New Castle reported seeing masked individuals approaching homes shortly before 11 p.m. Friday.
Surveillance images released by police show one individual wearing a black hockey-style mask and tactical-style vest while holding what appears to be a rifle outside a home’s front door.
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A masked individual wearing a tactical-style vest and carrying what appeared to be a rifle was captured on camera approaching a home in New Castle, Delaware, on Oct. 9, 2026, according to police. (New Castle County Police)
A separate image shows another masked individual wearing a black vest approaching a residence.
Officers were called to the 1200 block of Canvasback Drive at about 10:50 p.m. after receiving a report of a suspicious person.
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Residents told investigators that a masked individual carrying what appeared to be a rifle had knocked on doors before running away.
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Police also reported seeing four individuals heading east on Mallard Road, including two riding bicycles and two on foot.
The two teenagers were charged after police said they approached homes in a New Castle, Delaware, neighborhood wearing masks and tactical-style vests while carrying what appeared to be rifles as part of a late-night prank. (iStock)
Officers searched the neighborhood and surrounding properties with the assistance of a K-9 unit but were unable to locate the individuals.
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Investigators initially believed the apparent weapons may have been airsoft-style guns, though police have not confirmed whether the recovered gel bead gun was the weapon seen in the surveillance images.
The incident comes nearly two months after a man wearing a “Chucky”-style mask was caught on camera terrorizing pedestrians about 35 miles away in Philadelphia.
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The suspect, Zymire Hughes, 22, was arrested in Las Vegas later that month by members of the U.S. Marshals Service’s Philadelphia office.
Fox News Digital’s Mike Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
