Dana Gifford Androscoggin County Jail

AUBURN — A Virginia man was arrested Tuesday night after police said he attempted to steal a firetruck at the Auburn Esplanade apartment complex at 20 Great Falls Plaza.

About 9:30 p.m., a fire crew was at the Esplanade for a report of people stuck in an elevator. While the truck was parked outside, 35-year-old Dana Gifford of Barboursville, Virginia, climbed into the driver’s side of the rig, police said.

A firefighter who had been standing with the truck confronted Gifford, who then got out, police said.

“The subject told the fireman that he intended to steal the truck,” Auburn Deputy Police Chief Tim Cougle said. “At this point, the male fled the area.”

Police responded to the scene and found Gifford in the area after a brief search. After he was taken into custody, police learned Gifford was wanted in several states for a variety of non-extraditable charges.

In the incident with the firetruck, he was charged with attempted theft and taken to the Androscoggin County Jail where his bail was set at $2,500 cash. He posted bailed and was released a short time later.

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