By Terry Karkos,Staff Writer

RUMFORD – A Rumford District Court judge denied a Mexico man’s attempt to lower his bail to $500 cash early Friday afternoon.

Instead, Justice Ralph Tucker, who is new to the court, set bail for Christopher A. Lill, 33, at $5,000 cash or $20,000 surety, said Clerk Darlene Richards after the hearing.

Unable to make bail, he was returned to Oxford County Jail in Paris, where he has been since being arrested Wednesday.

Lill was charged Friday by the court with theft by unauthorized taking, a Class C felony, and violation of conditions of release. He is to be arraigned Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Rumford District Court.

The charges stem from an Oct. 19 arrest by Mexico Patrolman Mike Richard after his investigation into the reported theft of $4,665.36 from Sept. 3 through Oct. 19 from the Irving gas station in Mexico where Lill was employed.

Mexico Police Chief Jim Theriault said Friday afternoon that Richard received a report from the Irving manager on Oct. 17 that the station was losing money daily. Theriault said the manager suspected Lill as the culprit.

Richard’s investigation revealed that Lill “was double-swiping credit cards, fraudulently signing the credit receipts, then taking cash out of the register,” Theriault said.

The credit card owners, however, would be charged only once for their fuel purchases.

Richard charged Lill with 28 counts of forgery, 28 counts of felony theft, misdemeanor theft, and violation of bail. He was also arrested on a Rumford District Court warrant for unpaid fines on a charge of operating after suspension.

However, Clerk Darlene Richards said the charges made by Patrolman Richard would have to go before an Oxford County grand jury if they are to be levied against Lill in Oxford County Superior Court.

The violation of bail and release charges by Richard and the court stem from Lill’s arrest on a charge of felony burglary on July 25 by Maine State Police Trooper Kyle Tilsley.

Lill, who was then taken to the Paris jail, was released on $2,500 cash bail and ordered not to commit further crimes.

An assistant Superior Court clerk said Friday afternoon that Lill pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Sept. 16.

According to Tilsley’s probable cause affidavit, Lill, of Carlton Avenue, is accused of illegally entering the Wilsons Mills home of Fire Chief Warren Bennett on July 25 with intent to commit theft. The affidavit said Lill fled without taking anything after being interrupted by Bennett’s wife, Angela.