In one embodiment a system to detect, from a remote location, one or more wires in a target location comprises a radiation targeting assembly to direct a rotating polarization radiation field at the target location, a reflected radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the target location, and a signal processing module to monitor radiation from the rotating radiation field reflected from the target location and generate a signal when the radiation reflected from the target location indicates the presence of a wire in the target location. Other embodiments may be described.