LEWISTON – Federal agents were downtown Thursday night searching for a person who broke into a Lisbon Street pawn shop Wednesday and made off with more than a dozen guns.

Federal investigators from the Central Maine Violent Crimes Task Force joined Lewiston police as they sought to capture the burglar and recover the weapons.

The theft was reported about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, when a man in a hooded sweatshirt was seen fleeing Pine Tree Trading at 426 Lisbon St.

Police said a witness who spotted the hooded man running away with a knapsack began to chase the suspect. The witness was not able to catch up with the burglar, but was later able to provide a description to police as they swarmed the scene.

There were also reports that the culprit may have injured himself as he fled, police said.

Investigators said the suspect ran between buildings behind Pine Tree Trading as he was being sought. He then ran down Park Street and was last seen on Adams Avenue, near the Public Works Department. Police immediately called for tracking dogs as the search got under way.

The suspect remained at large throughout Thursday.

Detectives from the Lewiston police Criminal Investigation Division were working on leads developed in the case. Police said they were reviewing camera footage from Pine Tree Trading as well as other evidence they hoped would point to a suspect.

Because firearms were taken in the break-in, the Central Maine Violent Crimes Task Force sent agents to Lewiston to help with the probe. They were on the streets, interviewing potential witnesses and following up leads at nightfall.

Some of the tips generated in the case did not come from the downtown streets at all. Throughout the day, Sun Journal readers left comments at the end of an online story about the incident. Just before 7 a.m., one of those readers purported to know the name of the burglar.

Police were trying to determine whether the online tip had any merit. By late Thursday, no arrest had been made and the stolen guns had not been recovered.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lewiston police at 513-3001.