Three Hampden men were arrested late Friday night after Bangor police officers allegedly caught them in the process of damaging and burglarizing three vehicles and a utility trailer belonging to two of the construction companies hired to build the new Stillwater interchange on Interstate 95.

Trevor Sleight, 19, and Brandan Kinney, 18, were arrested on charges of burglary to a motor vehicle and criminal mischief. Daniel McNutt, 19, was arrested on the same two charges, as well as with refusing to submit to arrest, according to police reports. Kinney’s trip to Penobscot County Jail was delayed slightly so he could receive treatment for a knee injury he suffered while allegedly trying to flee from police.

Three trucks and one locked utility trailer parked in the work zone were affected. The doors and compartment handles of all three trucks had fresh handprints in the dew covering them.

A truck belonging to Lane Construction Co. had both headlights smashed, was unlocked and appeared to have been gone through.

The other two vehicles and the trailer belong to Moulison North Corp. One of the trucks had a broken headlight and several cargo doors left ajar. The utility trailer had damage in several areas, including small dents on its back door and fresh chips in the paint around the lock.

Trouble for the three suspects began when Officer James Hassard and Detective Clifford Worcester of the Bangor Police Department spotted a group of young men, one of them carrying a skateboard, in the vicinity of the new overpass. As Stillwater Avenue had experienced recent problems with burglaries, the police officers decided to stick around and investigate.

The policemen pulled into the parking lot of Hoyts Bangor Cinema 10 on Stillwater Avenue, parked their cruiser and waited for the group to pass by. A few moments later, the policemen heard what sounded like breaking glass and banging sounds. They got out of the cruiser and began creeping toward the noises. As they reached the construction barrels temporarily blocking off the new exit, which isn’t yet open to traffic, they could hear voices and more banging sounds.

After using their radios to request additional police officers, Hassard and Worcester continued to move in. When they reached the area where the vehicles were parked, they saw three suspects near one of the Moulison North trucks, heard the cargo doors open and saw one of the men climb up into the back.

As the policemen neared the vehicles, they turned on their flashlights and ran toward the suspects.

According to police reports, the suspect later was identified as Sleight standing next to the truck, holding the cargo door open, with a wooden shovel handle in his hand and items that appeared to be from the truck at his feet. A later examination of the handle showed embedded glass and a bottom end that matched impact marks on the door of the utility trailer.

The suspect identified as McNutt was seen inside the back cargo area of the truck, while Kinney was seen standing near the truck’s back corner, according to the police report.

Hassard and Worcester identified themselves as police officers and ordered the men to stop, but the three fled on foot. The two policemen began the search and eventually were joined by other officers. After the three suspects were located, they were brought to the police station for questioning. After giving police conflicting reports of what had happened, all three were taken to Penobscot County Jail and made bail Saturday.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Dawn Gagnon