LIVERMORE FALLS – Police pursued a person on foot late Sunday in connection with at least 17 car burglaries but failed to apprehend him.

Police said they found vehicle contents dumped on the ground, including pocketbooks, credit cards, truckers’ logs, dozens of cassette tapes and pieces of cell phones.

The person was opening the vehicle’s doors and then dumping the contents out, said Livermore Falls police Lt. Thomas E. Gould said.

A Pleasant Street resident reported someone trying to break into his vehicle, he said. The resident pursued the person until police arrived and took over, Gould said.

Gould and three officers from Livermore Falls were assisted by two Jay police officers, an Androscoggin County sheriff’s deputy and a tracking dog.

Police chased the suspect from Wheeler Street through Bailey’s Bros. parking lot on Park Street to Sewall Street, Gould said, but lost him.

“We searched the area for about two hours,” Gould said.

The tracking dog could not pick up a scent, he said.

The male suspect is described as short, somewhat heavyset and lugging a skateboard, Gould said.

Most of the vehicles involved were on Searles, Church and Vine streets, the lieutenant said.