Last Wednesday, March 12 at about 11:30 p.m., an alert neighbor noticed a suspicious truck in the yard at Poole Brothers Lumber. The unidentified good Samaritan called Boothbay Harbor Communication Center to report the suspicious activity, and while they were speaking the caller saw the vehicle leave the parking lot and head north on Route 27.

Beth Barter, Communication Center, contacted Boothbay Harbor Police Officer Richard Mirabile and Sgt. Patrick Higgins about the incident. Mirabile arrived on the scene within three minutes of the initial call, and Higgins pursued the vehicle. Lincoln Country Sheriff's Office was also contacted and cruisers headed down the peninsula to intercept the truck. LCSO Deputy Brent Barter stopped the truck in Edgecomb, and was quickly backed up by Higgins, as well as LCSO deputies Peter Kenyon and Henry Grenier. About $2,000 worth of stolen merchandise from Poole Brothers, boxed roof ice and water shields, were piled in the back of the truck.

BHPD arrested Paul Thurow, 19, Durham, Allen Higgins, 20, Nobleboro and Joshua Benner, 19, Waldoboro and charged them with theft in the incident. The stolen items were returned to Poole Brothers.

In addition to the stolen merchandise from Poole Brothers Lumber, Higgins also noticed pawn shop slips in the motor vehicle. Waldoboro police have determined that the pawn slips were for MP3 players stolen from Target in Augusta and subsequently pawned in Waldoboro. Waldoboro Police Officer Lance Mitchell reported that this part of the case is still under investigation, but charges are expected.