Cumberland Sheriff Searches for Suspects Who Vandalized Solar Farm with Construction Equipment

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Department is currently searching for suspects who used construction vehicles to vandalize a solar farm, according to a news release issued Monday.

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On Monday morning, sheriff's deputies arrived at the Novel Energy Solutions solar farm in New Gloucester following reports that suspects used construction equipment on site to vandalize the solar field, destroying the solar panels.

Investigators arrived at the scene to assess the damage and discovered that the vandals had caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage to the solar farm.

Investigators also believe there were likely two or more people involved in the incident, and that it occurred the night before officers were called.

The sheriff's office has asked for the public's help in identifying the perpetrators, but has not released any information about their appearance or any other identifying characteristics.

If arrested, the suspects will likely be charged with aggravated criminal mischief, an offence that can apply to anyone causing more than $2,000 in damage through vandalism.

Law enforcement has not speculated on a motive for the vandalism, but solar power and other renewable energy sources have become a controversial topic across the state.

Throughout her tenure, Governor Janet Mills (D-Maine) has pushed for more renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, projects that require significant taxpayer resources and have led to higher electricity rates across the state.