Laurel man arrested for stealing AC parts from churches, police say
Laurel, DE – A 50-year-old man is facing felony charges after Delaware State Police say he stole air conditioning parts from two churches in Laurel and damaged several units in the process.
Chad Wray, of Laurel, was arrested on January 23 following an investigation into thefts that occurred earlier this month. Police say Wray targeted Saint Matthews First Baptist Church on Wolfe Street and ELIM Delaware Church on Bi State Boulevard, removing components from a total of five air conditioning units.
The first reported theft took place on January 6, when troopers responded to Saint Matthews Church and discovered that key parts had been stripped from two AC units. A similar incident occurred on January 22 at ELIM Delaware Church, where three units were affected.
While investigating the church thefts, detectives learned that the Laurel Police Department was also probing a comparable case at a home on East 5th Street. The two departments coordinated efforts and identified Wray as the suspect in all three incidents.
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Wray was taken into custody and transported to Troop 4, where he was charged with multiple counts of felony theft and criminal mischief, along with trespassing offenses. He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on a $23,600 unsecured bond.
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Key Points
- Chad Wray, 50, was arrested for stealing AC parts from two Laurel churches
- Five units across the two churches were damaged, causing thousands in losses
- Wray faces multiple felony charges and was released on bond after arraignment
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