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Man to serve 5 and a half years behind bars after string of local Chinese restaurant burglaries

Posted at 10:31 AM, May 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-10 10:32:54-04

NORFOLK, Va. - A man Norfolk Police say broke into multiple Chinese restaurants will serve five and a half years behind bars for his role in the crimes.

40-year-old Elliot Del Valle

40-year-old Elliot Del Valle

The alleged serial burglar is 40-year-old Elliot Del Valle. Officials say he is being charged with seven counts of larceny and eight counts of burglary.

While Del Valle is the prime suspect in this case, police are still investigating the 11 Chinese restaurant break-ins that have happened in May.

Police say eight of the restaurants were broken into over a two-day period. They included:

  • China #1 - 1595 International Boulevard
  • Golden City - 130 Maple Avenue
  • Golden China - 1865 East Little Creek Road
  • Super China - 1710 East Little Creek Road
  • China King - 7930 Chesapeake Boulevard
  • Golden City - 1002 Park Avenue
  • Garden China - 4545 Robin Hood Road
  • China Town - East Berkley Avenue Extended

Many of the businesses we spoke to had multiple surveillance cameras - even a sign in the front window - but that didn’t stop the suspect from busting in the front window.

"It’s just kind of scary and we don’t know what to do because you don’t know when it will be happening. They can break in anywhere; any store, not just us," said one restaurant owner who didn't want to be identified.

Del Valle is being held in the Norfolk City Jail without bond. Two counts of entering a structure to commit A&B and eight counts of entering a house to commit A&B were certified to a grand jury June 27.

Nine charges of petit larceny and one count of stealing property were nolle prossed.

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