Alleged thief resists arrest after tattoo tips off Brewer police

A tattoo betrayed a Skowhegan man’s true identity during an investigation Wednesday afternoon in Brewer.

Officer John Knapp reported that a caller from Skowhegan told Brewer police that Tracy Reece, 28, had stolen $2,000 in cash from his mother’s house and was en route to Brewer. The caller added that Reece had an arrest warrant outstanding from Kennebec County.

Knapp said he and Officer Peter Rancourt watched for Reece, who reportedly was traveling in a Kia Sephia. Knapp spotted the car on South Main Street and stopped it.

Knapp said a man matching Reece’s description was in the car. He allegedly told Knapp his name was Mark Reece. Knapp said a records search for that name came up blank. He asked Reece to step out of the car.

Knapp said he saw a tattoo on Reece’s arm with the letters “TR.” When he asked the man if his name was really Tracy Reece, Reece became nervous but didn’t answer.

Knapp and Rancourt then tried to arrest Reece for the outstanding warrant.

Knapp said Reece became violent and tried to strike Rancourt. The officers forced Reece onto the hood of the car, but he kept struggling, Knapp said, until he was threatened with pepper spray.

Knapp said Reece admitted his identity once he was in custody. He was summoned for refusing to submit to arrest.

The officers found $2,220 cash in Reece’s pocket.

A state fair worker was accused of foul play Thursday night after he allegedly took a wallet under false pretences.

Bangor police Lt. Ronald Gastia reported that he was on foot patrol at the Bangor State Fair at about 7:45 p.m. when Bass Park Security asked for his assistance.

Evidently a man had found a wallet on the Sizzler ride, containing credit cards and $12 cash, and turned it over to the ride operator.

The man later had second thoughts, Gastia said, and told Bass Park security about the wallet. The ride operator, Joseph Hoxie, 26, told security he had given the wallet to the brother of its owner.

Gastia, with Officer Butch Moor, spoke with Hoxie. Hoxie at first held to his story, but after being assured he would not be arrested if he returned the wallet and the money, Hoxie led the officers to a portable toilet. Gastia said Hoxie retrieved a soaked wallet from the toilet hole.

The cash was missing from the wallet, Gastia said, but after more discussion Hoxie handed over the $12 he had stashed in his waistband. He was escorted out of the fairgrounds.

Gastia said the wallet’s owner kept the cash and got rid of the wallet.

Brewer police arrested a drunken Thomaston man for criminal trespass Friday after four separate encounters.

Cpl. David Lord said he and Officer Peter Rancourt went to the Stable Inn on Wilson Street at about 7:45 a.m. and ordered Frank Mastera, 37, to leave the premises at the owner’s request.

Lord said he and Rancourt returned to the inn at 1:20 p.m. to find Mastera sleeping in someone else’s van, and again ordered him off the property, warning that if they caught him there again he would be arrested.

Lord said Twin City Motor Inn called at about 1:30 p.m. saying Mastera was rummaging through the inn’s dirty laundry. Officer John Knapp gave Mastera a ride to the Bangor Greyhound station.

At about 4:45 p.m. Lord and Rancourt were at a Wilson Street store dealing with a car accident when Mastera, apparently drunk, approached them and started talking to people at the accident scene.

Lord said they told Mastera to leave, at which point he went up to the balcony of the Stable Inn nearby.

Lord and Rancourt finished their work at the accident and then pursued Mastera up to the balcony, Lord said, where they found him just leaving a room, with a beer in hand that he hadn’t had before.

Lord said the couple renting the room did not want to press charges against Mastera for taking their beer, so Lord just arrested him for criminal trespass.

Lord said Mastera repeatedly stated that he didn’t understand why he was under arrest as Lord took him to jail.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Isaac Kimball