LEWISTON – A 20-minute walk. A small, sharp object. Thousands of dollars in damages to nearly two dozen cars.
Police said Ryan S. Henson strolled along the Sabattus Street area in a business suit Thursday afternoon, scraping cars and trucks without breaking a stride.
Henson, 30, of 17 Green St., was arrested about 2 p.m. and charged with aggravated criminal mischief. Investigators said the amount of damages would likely be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Several of the vehicles were owned by state employees, police said. Several others were damaged while parked near St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. By late Thursday afternoon, the number of known vehicles with long scrapes down the sides was about 20.
“We believe there may be more damaged vehicles out there,” Lewiston police Lt. Tom Avery said.
Henson began the spree at about 1:40 p.m. as he left an appointment downtown, police said. He began walking in the Vale Street area, his arm barely outstretched at his side.
Police said a pair of Lewiston Public Works employees saw Henson walking past rows of cars but at first thought he was simply rubbing a hand against the vehicles.
“Then they could hear gouging sounds,” said police Cpl. Ray Roberts, who later arrested Henson.
The men from Public Works followed Henson as he walked up Campus Avenue and onto Sabattus Street, near the hospital. At every opportunity, police said, Henson walked close to the vehicles he passed and scraped them with what appeared to be a small rock.
“The Public Works employees informed our communication center so that our officers could get involved,” Avery said.
Roberts went to the area and found Henson farther down Sabattus Street, close to his home on Green Street. Roberts said the man was dressed immaculately, wearing a business suit as he walked toward his home.
Police said Henson was arrested and taken to the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn. He was still there Thursday night on $1,500 cash bail. A jail officer said Henson’s booking sheet stated he is disabled.
Late Thursday, Roberts was still working on his reports. The amount of damage had not yet been tallied. Police said one 2005 truck, recently purchased by a local man, had a long gouge down the side. Damage in that instance was estimated at about $4,000.
Police were also waiting to hear from others whose vehicles were damaged. Those people were asked to call Roberts at 784-6422, ext. 364.
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