Garage robberies spur investigation by county sheriff Tools, machines among stolen items

A recent rash of garage burglaries has prompted the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department to dedicate two detectives full time to solving the brazen, daytime crimes.

More than a dozen burglaries have been reported across central Penobscot County in recent weeks, including Friday, when a Greenbush man discovered that $1,500 in tools had been taken from his garage.

“We’re still being hammered without garage burglaries,” reported Chief Deputy Glenn Ross, whose department also had to contend with several thefts of snowmobiles this week. The snowmobile thefts in Bradford are not considered related to the string of burglaries to home garages in Bradford, Carmel, Levant, Hudson, Charleston, Exeter and other communities.

Mostly tools have been taken, although Ross said that in some cases a trailer was taken from one residence and used to haul larger equipment from another. Included in the stolen items have been garden tractors, lawn mowers, ATVs and generators.

Police departments in other communities are contending with similar burglaries, Ross said, and are working with Detectives Bill Flagg and Bob Jordan from the Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities described a typical scenario in which a man would approach a residence during the day and check to see if anyone is home.

If so, he makes some excuse, such as asking for directions or asking whether something he saw in the yard was for sale. If no one is home, he enters the garage, breaking in when he finds the doors locked.

Investigators ask that anyone being approached at home in this manner or anyone seeing something suspicious should report it to the Sheriff’s Department at 1-800-432-7911 or the local police department.

Ross said that investigators are looking for descriptions of the motor vehicles used, license plate numbers and descriptions of the suspicious people.