North Carolina Man Charged in Theft of Copper Wire from Laurel Construction Site

Image courtesy DSP

Delaware State Police have arrested a North Carolina man for theft of copper wire from a solar field construction site in Laurel. Police were called Monday morning to Woodland Ferry Road and learned that between the 4^th and 8^th an unknown suspect stole nearly 2000 feet of copper wire valued at over $26,000.

Investigation led police to 41 year old Gerardo Carmona Hernandez of Shannon, North Carolina, an employee of the solar field construction company, who scrapped copper wire on June 5^th at Fitzgerald’s Salvage in Lincoln – and returned with more copper wire to scrap on June 8^th. Police saw Hernandez driving a Chevy Colorado and learned he did not have a valid license or insurance on the truck and he was arrested and taken to Troop 5. Hernandez was charged with the crimes listed below:

• Theft over $1,500 (Felony)
• Theft by False Pretense over $1,500 (Felony)
• Selling Stolen Property over $1,500 (Felony)
• Attempt to Sell Stolen Property over $1,500 (Felony)
• Criminal Trespass 2^nd Degree
• Falsifying Business Records – 2 counts
• Driving without a Valid License
• Failure to Have Required Insurance
• Several Traffic Offenses

Hernandez was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3, and released on his own recognizance.