Phippsburg police said they have issued charges in connection with the alleged robbery of the Bisson Center Store last month.
At around 5 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, Deven Cameron, 19, of Brunswick and Wyatt Coffin, 19, of West Bath allegedly drilled through two locks on a door and broke a window of the store. The break-in caused about $1,500 worth of damage, according to Phippsburg Police Chief John Skroski.
The pair allegedly entered the store and stole two boxes of alcoholic iced teas then left, according to police. About 20 minutes later, one of them allegedly returned and took two more boxes. The stolen merchandise totaled about $115, Skroski said.
On Sept. 16, Skroski issued a court summons for Cameron, charging him with burglary, a Class C crime, criminal mischief, a Class D crime, and theft, a Class E crime. He is expected to appear at West Bath District Court on Dec. 14.
After a month-long investigation, on Sept. 22, authorities searched Coffin’s West Bath home. Skrroski said police recovered cans of alcohol. The manufacturing codes on the cans matched those of others sold at the store.
Phippsburg police arrested Coffin on Tuesday, Oct. 5, and charged him with burglary, a Class C crime, criminal mischief, a Class D crime, and theft, a Class E crime. He was brought to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset with bail set at $500, according to police.
Coffin’s court date was not immediately known Tuesday.
Skroski said police were able to connect the teens to the crime using the store’s video surveillance, which caught the suspects and their vehicle on camera. Nearby residents provided some information because they overheard yelling during the burglary. One neighbor allegedly heard one suspect say the other’s first name, Skroski said.
“This was an intensive investigation, but whenever there’s a burglary, people become unnerved and we have to get to the bottom of it,” said Skroski. “Phippsburg has a very low burglary rate and when you stay on top of these crimes and solve them, it discourages that behavior. These investigations take a lot of time, but it’s important to try to nip them in the bud.”
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