Solar Field Worker Arrested for Stealing $26K in Copper Wire

Laurel, DE - Delaware State Police have arrested a North Carolina man for allegedly stealing nearly 2,000 feet of copper wire from a solar field construction site in Laurel, Delaware.

Gerardo Carmona Hernandez, 41, of Shannon, North Carolina, was taken into custody after an investigation tied him to the theft of copper wire valued at over $26,000.

On June 8, 2026, at around 7:45 a.m., troopers responded to the 8000 block of Woodland Ferry Road in Laurel, Delaware, after a theft was reported. Investigators determined the wire was stolen sometime between June 4, 2026 and June 8, 2026.

Troopers learned that Hernandez had scrapped copper wire on June 5, 2026 at Fitzgerald's Salvage and Recycling in Lincoln. He returned to the same location on June 8, 2026 to scrap more wire.

When troopers responded to Fitzgerald's, they were able to identify the copper wire as the same material stolen from the construction site. Hernandez had already left before troopers arrived, but he returned shortly after.

When he came back, troopers observed him driving a Chevrolet Colorado. A computer check revealed he did not have a valid driver's license and the truck was uninsured. He was taken into custody without incident.

What makes this case stand out is that Hernandez was actually an employee of the solar field construction company where the theft occurred.

He was transported to Troop 5, charged, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3, and released on his own recognizance.

Hernandez faces a lengthy list of charges, including:

• 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 2nd Degree

• Falsifying Business Records (2 counts)

• Driving without a Valid License

• Failure to Have Required Insurance

• Several Traffic Offenses

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.