Delaware State Police have arrested William Smallwood, 49, of Laurel, on charges of stealing copper wire that shut down a railroad line for four days.
On July 24, detectives began investigating a copper wire theft that occurred earlier in July at Carload Express in Laurel. Detectives discovered that a suspect had cut and stolen copper wiring from a railroad safety system, causing over $10,000 worth of damage and leading the railroad to shut down for four days. Detectives determined that Smallwood had sold the wiring at a Seaford recycling center.
Pennsylvania-based Carload Express operates the Delmarva Central Railroad, which transports coal, building materials, propane, and grain used in the region’s poultry industry. The railroad took over the former Norfolk Southern Delmarva line.
Delmarva Central runs from Porter in the Bear area to the Delmarva portion of Virginia.
Smallwood was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on $8,400 unsecured bond.
The price of copper is currently listed at around $4 a pound after rising to nearly $5 in 2022. Copper thefts have been widespread and have included irrigation equipment sites and even dangerous electric substations.
