By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

WALES – Note to burglars: If you’re going to break into a house, don’t park your car at the church across the street. At least not in Wales.

A man accused of breaking into a vacant house on Route 132 Friday night was arrested after a group of neighbors swarmed on the scene and called police.

Robert Vachon, 49, of Leeds was arrested on a charge of burglary after police from three departments went into the home after him with dogs close at hand.

Shortly after 8 p.m., a man who lives down the road from the Wales Presbyterian Church noticed a strange car parked there. The car was parked directly across from a house formerly occupied by the man’s mother-in-law. It had been broken into very recently.

That man and several other neighbors positioned themselves in front of the house and called the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office. Within minutes, several officers from that department were there with others from Monmouth and Maine State Police.

Sheriff’s deputies went through the front door of the house after shouting warnings. The officers and a police dog roamed through the house in search of the suspect while other officers surrounded the house outside.

“As the canine was searching, we found Mr. Vachon trying to exit through the back,” said sheriff’s Detective Rielly Bryant. “Of course, we had officers situated back there.”

Police said Vachon had parked his car – complete with a for sale sign and contact information – in front of the church next to the road. When they ran the plates before entering the house, the registration came back to Vachon.

It was believed he had entered the house by breaking a window in the back, police said.

The neighbors who first noticed that the house had been burglarized stood in the church parking lot and watched as police captured the suspect.

Vachon was handcuffed and led outside before he was taken to the Androscoggin County Jail.

“Welcome to Wales,” one man said, as Vachon was led away.

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