By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
An Albuquerque man faces a felony larceny charge after Rio Rancho police say surveillance video caught him repeatedly stealing copper wire from an Intel construction site — then selling it to Albuquerque scrap metal dealers for nearly $10,500.
A criminal complaint filed June 17 in Sandoval County Magistrate Court alleges the defendant stole multiple spools of copper wire — valued at more than $23,000 — from the roof of Intel’s FAB 9 facility between February and May 2026.
The wire had been stored on-site for about a year due to project delays. The defendant is charged with one count of larceny over $20,000, a second-degree felony.
Video surveillance and access control records show the suspect used authorized badge access to enter restricted areas on at least seven documented dates between Feb. 17 and March 19, 2026, according to the complaint. Investigators say he transported wire off the roof using a rolling toolbox and loaded it into a pickup truck.
Scrap metal transaction records obtained during the investigation show approximately 2,159 pounds of copper sold across multiple transactions, with a total payout of approximately $10,485.94, according to the complaint filed by Rio Rancho Police.
More details
- Intel’s Security Director contacted RRPD after a crew arrived May 11 to install a power supply and found the copper wire spools missing.
- The theft reportedly went undetected for months, aided by the defendant concealing his actions when other personnel were nearby and discarding packaging in on-site dumpsters.
- A second-degree felony in New Mexico carries a potential sentence of up to nine years.