New Castle Warnings and Dangers

These local issues seldom affect tourists directly (unless you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time) but it is always good to know the facts and be safe.

The New Castle newspapers have been riddled with stories about drug related activites over the last 6-9 months (2006-2007). The local police along with national agencies recently ran a sting operation that caught 14 persons who were part of a drug ring that had migrated from Wilmington and were now operating out of New Castle.
It was the first time that the authorities had acknowledged that this nice touristy location was also home to drug dealers and the violent crimes associated with them.

Violent crimes are on the rise generally but much more rapidly in New Castle than other places in Delaware.

When you visit here, check with the motel staff to see if there are any locations you should avoid. Don't go out late at night or into unfamiliar areas alone. Lock doors and keep valuables in the motel safebox. Know who is near you and who is watching you.

Be safe rather than be sorry.

The crime statistics show that New Castle rates about average for crime risk.
In a six-year study, the yearly average showed no murders, 2 rapes, 5 robberies, 25 assaults, 30 burglaries and 190 thefts. There was nothing alarming in those numbers.

BUT....
there are 125 sex offenders registered in the area. That puts it at one sex offender for every 50 persons who lives in New Castle. In other words, that averages out to one sex offender per 15 houses. That is a lot more than the national average.
(See the website below for more info on these SOs).