Two Biddeford men accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars worth of goods in burglaries from more than 25 businesses throughout Maine this year were each ordered held on $100,000 cash bail Monday.
Michael Warner, 37, and Taylor Schultz, 34, were arrested Friday and brought to the Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland on Monday to face preliminary felony charges of receiving stolen property.
After setting bail on the property charges, Justice Joyce Wheeler ordered Warner held without bail for allegedly violating his probation for past burglary convictions.
“He has a pretty hefty record,” Wheeler said after a prosecutor recited Warner’s history of convictions.
Wheeler ordered the two suspects to have no contact with each other or with a third suspect, identified in the courtroom as Charles York, 38. His place of residence was not immediately available.
Maine State Police made the arrests with help from local, county and federal agencies. The burglaries, which were similar to one another, happened at businesses in southern, midcoast and central Maine, police said.
Police have said Warner and Schultz will face other charges as the investigation continues. About 80 items of evidence, including stolen property and drugs, were seized by police. The total value of the items stolen, as well as damage to the businesses, is estimated at more than $200,000.
The prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Robert Connelly, said police arrested the men after their most recent burglary at Tobey’s General Store in the town of China, where they were caught on surveillance video and stole more than $15,000 in cash.
Connelly said police tracked Schultz’ cellphone, which showed he was in China at the time of the burglary and then traveled on Interstate 295 to Brunswick, where he was staying.
As of Monday evening, York had yet to be arrested. Warner and Schultz are being held at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.
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