The Damariscotta Police Department has charged six people with stealing from Hannaford Supermarket in the last month, including five in the span of a week.
The store has a high level of security and surveillance, according to Sgt. Jason Warlick – a fact the department hopes will discourage future thefts.
“They have a plethora of cameras spread throughout that store, both inside and outside, with heavy surveillance on the alcohol area,” said Sgt. Jason Warlick. “They also have a top-notch loss prevention management team.”
The thefts fall into three categories, according to Warlick.
“What we 're seeing is a large influx of self-checkout-related thefts – consumers trying to deceive the self-checkout machines – as well as alcohol-related thefts,”
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Dufour, 39, of Bristol, faces a charge of class E theft by deception in connection with an incident on Feb. 29.
Kent M. Little, 20, of Bremen, faces a charge of class C theft by unauthorized taking or transfer in connection with an incident on Feb. 29. Little faces a felony charge due to prior convictions for burglary and theft. He is on probation for burglary.
Collin J. Marshall, 19, of Walpole, faces four counts of class E theft by deception in connection with an incident on March 1 and three previous incidents.
Matthew Kinney, 32, of Damariscotta, faces a charge of class E theft by unauthorized taking or transfer in connection with an incident on March 5.
Peter E. Townsend, 32, of Boothbay Harbor, faces a single count each of class E theft by unauthorized taking or transfer and class E violation of condition of release in connection with an incident on March 7. Townsend also faces charges of burglary of a motor vehicle and domestic violence assault in connection with incidents in Damariscotta on March 2.
Warlick and Officers Jim Dotson, Erick Halpin, and Kyle Sylvester were the investigating officers.
Maine-ly Pawn incident
The department is asking for the public 's help in a separate matter – the disappearance of a large number of fishing rods from Maine-ly