WILMINGTON, Del. — Delaware State Police have arrested Michael Hughes, 51, of Townsend, for felony thefts spanning three months at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington.
Authorities began investigating on Nov. 12, 2024, after multiple thefts were reported at the research facility located at 200 Powder Mill Road. According to police, lab and office equipment worth several thousand dollars was stolen from the property between August and October. Investigators discovered that the stolen items were being sold online.
Through investigative efforts, detectives identified Hughes, a subcontracted employee at the facility, as the suspect. Police say a search of Hughes’ residence, conducted under warrant, uncovered a significant amount of stolen lab and office equipment valued at several hundred thousand dollars.
DuPont is one of the most prominent names in Delaware, with the DuPont family becoming one of the richest families in America in the 1800s for making gunpowder. The DuPonts have highways named after them, created schools for students of color during segregation, and multiple museums and estates in Northern Delaware.
The DuPont Experimental Station is where materials such as nylon and lycra were invented. In recent years, DuPont has been the subject of lawsuits over problems allegedly tied to toxic "forever chemicals" from DuPont.
On Nov. 19, Hughes surrendered at Delaware State Police Troop 2. He was charged with:
- Theft of $1,500 or greater (felony)
- Selling stolen property valued over $1,500 with two or more prior convictions (felony)
Hughes was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on his own recognizance.