Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley

State Police Arrest Pair for Copper Wire Theft from New Castle Area Construction Site

Date Posted: Sunday, May 19th, 2024

News Release

Delaware State Police arrested David Mitchell, 55, of Newark, Delaware, and Colleen Floyd, 32, of Delaware City, Delaware, for theft of copper wires and related offenses from a New Castle area construction site that occurred on Tuesday.

On May 14, 2024, at approximately 4:30 a.m., troopers responded to a Greggo and Ferrara, Inc., construction site located at 765 Hamburg Road, New Castle, for a report of a theft. During the investigation, troopers discovered two male suspects and one female suspect trespassed onto the property during the early morning hours of May 13, 2024. Once on the property, the suspects cut copper wiring from construction equipment and then fled in a pick-up truck without the copper wiring. The following day on May 14, 2024, at approximately 4:05 a.m., one of the male suspects returned to the property in the pick-up truck and stole the cut copper wires. Through investigative means, troopers located the pick-up truck containing the copper wires at a residence in Newark. At the residence, troopers made contact with David Mitchell and Colleen Floyd, who were subsequently identified as two of the suspects involved in the theft.

Mitchell and Floyd were taken into custody without incident, and transported to Troop 2, where they were charged with multiple crimes. The third suspect (pictured below), identified as 40-year-old Thomas Cordell of New Castle, Delaware, has not been located at this time. There is a felony warrant for criminal mischief and associated charges for his arrest.

Mitchell was charged with the below crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and released on a $3,200 unsecured bond.

Theft $1,500 or Greater (Felony)
Criminal Mischief $5,000 or More (Felony)
Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony)
Criminal Trespass – 2 counts

Floyd was charged with the below crimes, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and released on a $2,100 unsecured bond.

Criminal Mischief $5,000 or More (Felony)
Conspiracy 2^nd Degree (Felony)
Criminal Trespass

Delaware State Police Troop 2 Troopers continue to investigate this incident. Troopers are asking anyone with information regarding this case or the whereabouts of Thomas Cordell to contact Troop 2 by calling (302) 834-2620. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.