Purses stolen in Brewer store; shoppers warned

Brewer police are advising shoppers to keep an eye on their purses.

There have been three reported purse thefts at the Hannaford supermarket on Wilson Street in February, according to Cpl. Levi Sewall.

In the first incident, on Feb. 4, a woman believed she had simply lost her purse until her bank informed her that five withdrawals of $60 each had been made with her missing check card.

On Feb.7, a woman reported that when she went to the checkout counter, she discovered that her purse was missing. The woman said a strange man had conversed with her earlier. Police believe this may have been a distraction tactic. The purse has not been recovered.

On Feb. 21, Sewall said, another woman discovered her purse was missing when she arrived at the checkout counter. She said a man had cut in front of her in the store earlier, and she saw him near the door when she missed her purse. The woman confronted him, and he gave her the purse, saying he found it on the floor. He left before police or store security arrived.

Sewall said that the men in the latter two cases both were described as white, between 30 and 40 years old, unshaven and unkempt.

He also said that shoppers should be careful to keep their purses with them, and not to leave them unattended in their shopping carts.

Bangor police arrested an Alexander man Wednesday night after he allegedly was seen speeding on the Hogan Road.

Officer Michael Jewett reported that at about 11:15 p.m., he and Officer Russell Twaddell were parked in the Swett’s Tire parking lot on Hogan Road, when they saw a car pass at about 60 mph in the 35 mph zone. They followed, activating their blue lights as they neared the I-95 overpass.

Jewett said the car continued through the flashing red light at Bangor Mall Boulevard and did not stop. It pulled into the Black Stove Shop lot, but kept rolling slowly.

Jewett said he got out of his K-9 vehicle and yelled at the driver to stop. The driver, Edward Alltop, 54, of Alexander, seemed to be in a daze. Jewett said Alltop appeared extremely intoxicated, and his breath smelled of alcohol.

Alltop told Jewett he was from the Machias area, and was on his way home. He didn’t know where he was, or what city he was in. Jewett said Alltop expressed disbelief when Jewett told him he was in Bangor.

After failing field sobriety tests, Alltop was arrested and charged with operating under the influence. At the station, a breath test showed Alltop’s blood alcohol to be 0.23 percent.

Bangor police arrested a man Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly spat on his ex-wife in front of their child.

Officer Steve Pelletier reported that at about 4:45 p.m. a woman came to the station and spoke with Pelletier and Officer James Dearing.

She said that, while she was dropping off her 6-year-old son at his father’s apartment, the father, Robert LeClair, 34, of Bangor, called her obscene names and spat in her face.

The woman also told Pelletier that LeClair was on probation and had been drinking.

Dearing and Pelletier went to LeClair’s apartment. He appeared to be drunk, Pelletier said. Pelletier spoke with the child separately, who said that while LeClair was yelling at his mother, some spit did land on her.

LeClar maintained that the argument was merely verbal.

LeClair was arrested and taken to the station, where a breath test showed he had consumed alcohol. His probation officer approved a probation hold, and he was taken to Penobscot County Jail. He also was charged with assault.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Isaac Kimball