By Lisa Chmelecki,Staff Writer

AUBURN – For Stanley Hinds, it wasn’t only about the old magazines, the miniature Matchbox cars and the vintage toy train.

It was about the fact that he went out of his way to help Zachary Goulet, only to be burned in the end.

Goulet, 23, pleaded no contest Monday to stealing items from Hinds’ former antique shop, My First Auction, on Main Street.

“This was not just an ordinary burglary,” Hinds said at a hearing in Androscoggin County Superior Court. “This was a personal assault on me.”

The two men met last fall when Goulet and his pregnant girlfriend were looking for a place to live. Hinds leased them an apartment above his antique shop and agreed to let Goulet work in the shop in exchange for a discount on the rent.

Hinds trusted Goulet. He took time to tell him about the value of the antique cars, the toy train and the Life magazines, especially an August 1961 edition featuring Yankees sluggers Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.

A couple of months later, when 400 magazines, 100 Matchbox cars and the toy train in its original packaging turned up missing, Hinds knew where to send police.

A Lewiston officer found 114 magazines, valued at $2,300, in Goulet’s apartment.

The other items were never recovered. Goulet maintains he didn’t take them, but Hinds isn’t convinced.

In court Monday, the former antiques dealer attempted to convince Justice Ellen Gorman that Goulet owes him about $7,400 ($5,000 for the magazines, $2,000 for the cars and $400 for the train).

He also acknowledged that he didn’t keep a written inventory.

“It’s in my head,” he said. “These items come and go. I didn’t anticipate this kind of theft.”

Due to the lack of records, Gorman only ordered Goulet to pay $2,500 to Hinds over the next year.

“I understand that won’t come close to paying for what Mr. Hinds maintains was taken,” the judge said.

Goulet was initially charged with burglary and theft. The burglary charge was dropped as part of plea agreement in which Goulet agreed to plead no contest to the theft charge under the terms of a deferred disposition.

This means that Goulet must pay back Hinds and stay out of trouble for one year. If he does this, he can withdraw his plea and the district attorney’s office will drop the charge.