Police say two Berwick residents charged with breaking into more than a dozen homes in York County were trying to support their heroin addiction and often brought their children along during the daytime burglaries.
Adam Brake, 28, and Sabrina Goodrich, 20, were arrested Tuesday by Berwick police and charged with Class B burglary. Police say the pair broke into more than a dozen homes in Lebanon, Berwick, North Berwick and South Berwick since the middle of May to steal jewelry, electronics and guns.
Brake and Goodrich were supporting their addiction to heroin, according to police. Their 4-year-old son and 8-month old daughter were often left waiting in the car during the daytime burglaries.
“Fourteen families have been victimized due to the heroin epidemic,” Berwick police Chief Timothy Towne said. “We hope that all the families who have had their homes invaded sleep better knowing that arrests have been made and a considerable amount of property has been recovered.”
Police say Brake and Goodrich stole jewelry, electronics, computers, televisions, money and more than 23 firearms. The stolen property was valued by police at more than $50,000. Investigators recovered some of the stolen items and guns.
As police investigated, they received tips that a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee had been seen in the area or fleeing the scene of several burglaries. While conducting a neighborhood search Tuesday afternoon, Berwick police officer Nicholas Higgins noticed a similar vehicle on Little River Road in Berwick and pulled it over.
At the same time, North Berwick police were investigating two residential burglaries in the same area of Little River Road. A witness reported seeing someone throwing items off the Little River bridge on Diamond Hill Road in Berwick. Officers found a gun safe, a Sentry fire safe and documents linked to one of the North Berwick burglaries, police said.
Police say Brake and Goodrich confessed to breaking into the homes when questioned by detectives. Brake is on federal probation for trafficking in narcotics, according to police.
Brake was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Springvale District Court. His bail was set at $25,000 and he remains in custody at York County Jail. Goodrich was released on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in York County Superior Court on July 8.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services Child Protection Unit assisted police with the investigation and is now working with relatives of both suspects to care for the children.
Police say the investigation is ongoing. Other suspects have been identified and future arrests are expected, according to police.
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