AUBURN – A former maintenance worker has been indicted for stealing more than 180,000 quarters from an apartment complex’s laundry facilities.

Wilfred Ayotte, 54, of Lewiston collected the change from washers and dryers at the Auburn Mall Apartments for more than 12 years as part of his job.

He has pleaded not guilty to a theft charge and awaits trial.

It wasn’t until after Ayotte was laid off last summer that his manager suspected a problem, said a lawyer for the apartment complex.

“The property manager took over the duty of collecting the money from the machines,” said David Van Baars, “and she noted immediately that the deposits were much higher.”

He said bank records revealed that Ayotte must have begun stealing the money in 1996.

The apartments’ owners have also sued Ayotte for $45,790, the amount they say he took.