Police are looking for a camper that was stolen in late April from Scott’s Recreation at 746 Western Ave. in Manchester. The theft was the second camper taken from the dealership since October. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal file
MANCHESTER — Another camper was stolen recently from Scott’s Recreation in Manchester, according to police.
The camper was in the same location as a camper that was stolen in October from the dealership’s overflow lot.
The Maine State Police believe the most recent theft happened overnight April 24 or 25, after Jessica Dusoe had brought her 2021 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf camper to be serviced at the dealership at 746 Western Ave.
A police report said Scott’s Recreation employees “discovered it was missing” when they called Dusoe to pick up her camper, which is valued at about $35,000. The 29-foot camper was parked across the street, at the store’s unofficial overflow lot, where a Pyro City Maine fireworks store is located.
The theft of Dusoe’s camper comes after an 18-foot Forest River Wolf Pup camper was reported missing from Scott’s Recreation in October. It was in the overflow lot after its owner had brought the camper to be serviced and winterized.
This 2021 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf camper was stolen in late April from Scott’s Recreation at 746 Western Ave. in Manchester. Jessica Dusoe photo
Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said the state trooper assigned to Dusoe’s case has “made no reference of these two cases being connected.”
Moss said Trooper Tyler Harrington has followed up on more than a dozen leads in central Maine and across the state, but not found the camper.
“When they called (Dusoe) to have her pick it up, which was parked across the street at Pyro City, they discovered it was missing,” Moss said.
Pyro City has security cameras, Moss said, but “the footage did not capture the suspect.”
Reid Lanpher, president and CEO of Scott’s Recreation, said cameras were installed after the theft in October, but “unfortunately, there were campers blocking the view for this particular incident.”
Lanpher said every customer who drops off a camper must sign a waiver that their insurance company is liable if the camper is stolen.
Lanpher said after Dusoe’s camper was stolen, the employee-owned dealership adjusted the layout of the campers in the overflow lot so the cameras have a better view. The dealership is also utilizing coupler locks that keep trailers in place, and has invested in tracking devices placed onto campers.
“We are frustrated and disappointed that the criminal who stole their camper has not been identified,” Lanpher said. “I am hoping that through technological advancements and better awareness, that this issue of theft in the area will come to an end.”
Dusoe posted about the incident on Facebook and has gathered a number of leads from people across Maine, who have shared the photograph of her camper.
Officials have asked that anyone with information on either of the stolen campers call the state police at 207-624-7076.
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