GREENE — The Craigslist scam that resulted in a gull-like scavenging at George Stanley’s home in October generated all kinds of interest, locally and abroad.

The Daily Mail in the United Kingdom wrote a lengthy piece about the caper and unfortunate results. A reporter from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies went to Stanley’s Route 202 property and created an audio report of the strange affair.

The Sun Journal followed the story for a week straight, trying to unravel who was behind the bogus Craigslist ad that encouraged people to raid Stanley’s home-based business and take more than $10,000 worth of goods while he was away.

There was rumor, there was speculation and there were no end to the theories about the case, but as the year draws to a close, the mystery remains unsolved.

Maine State Police are investigating the matter, but they have said little about the case. Stanley said he has heard nothing about suspects being identified, although he has suspicions of his own.

Will the creator of that sham Craigslist ad ever be caught? That remained unclear at year’s end, but if a suspect should be identified, the consequences could be heavy.

A criminal prosecutor weighed in at the height of the strange affair and said that although dozens of people were known to have hauled a variety of goods off Stanley’s property, the ad creator could conceivably be charged as the primary thief responsible for the loss of more than $10,000 worth of property. That could potentially mean up to 10 years in prison.

George Stanley’s property on Route 202 in Greene is filled with items everywhere you look. (Sun Journal file photo)

George Stanley looks out the front door of his home and business in Greene on Oct. 11, 2018, while trying to secure the numerous entrances that were breached. Most of his worldly possessions were stolen or ransacked. (Sun Journal file photo)

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