MEXICO — A Mechanic Falls man and a Greene woman were arrested over the weekend on charges of stealing two cellphones from Wal-Mart, police Chief Roy Hodsdon said Monday morning.
Hodsdon said Shaun Bennett, 34, of Mechanic Falls was arrested Friday on two counts of theft, unlawful trafficking in heroin and unlawful possession of heroin.
On Saturday, officers for Mexico and Rumford police departments arrested Tracy Gagnon, 29, of Greene on two counts of theft, he said.
Hodsdon said the investigation began Wednesday, Nov. 18, after his officers received a call from Wal-Mart at 1:44 p.m. about a cellphone being stolen from the store. Hodsdon, Lt. Dan Carrier of the Mexico Police Department and Sgt. James Bernard and Patrolman Brad Gallant of the Rumford Police Department investigated and on Friday tracked the suspects to a residence on Cumberland Street in Rumford.
“It was here we located Bennett and Gagnon,” Hodsdon said.
Hodsdon said Bennett was initially charged with theft and on a warrant for failure to appear. A search by officers uncovered that he was carrying heroin, $993 in cash and drug-related items, leading to additional charges.
Hodsdon said the $993 was seized.
Gagnon was initially issued a summons on a charge of theft, the chief said.
“At first, we were not sure if Gagnon had ever been charged with theft, so we issued her the summons,” Hodsdon said.
However, at 5:45 p.m. Friday, Hodsdon said that he received a second phone call from Wal-Mart saying another cellphone was missing.
“Upon reviewing video surveillance, we were able to confirm that Bennett and Gagnon had stolen the second cellphone as well,” Hodsdon said. “We also discovered that Gagnon had been charged with theft before.
Hodsdon, Carrier, Bernard and Gallant returned to the Cumberland Street residence, where Gagnon admitted to the second theft, Hodsdon said. She was arrested on two charges of theft.
Bennett and Gagnon were taken to the Oxford County Jail in Paris.
Hodsdon lauded the “good collaboration” between the two police departments.
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