Men charged in Bangor pet shop theft

Bangor police arrested two men Thursday in connection with the thefts of three snakes, headphones and a CD case from the Airport Mall.

Jonathan Mejia, 20, and Edward James Purdy III, 28, both of Bangor, were each charged with receiving stolen property after three boa constrictors were stolen from the Crystal Clear Family Pets store at the Airport Mall, reported Bangor police Officer Wade Betters.

A store employee confronted Purdy outside the business where the 3-foot-long snakes could be seen moving in his coat pocket, Betters reported. Purdy handed back the three snakes that were valued at $129.99 each. Mejia was implicated after a witness told Betters that Mejia was seen holding one of the snakes as he left the mall.

Mejia also admitted to taking the CD case and headphones from Radio Shack. The officer found open packages for both items in the store, according to the police report. Mejia was charged with theft and with violating his probation.

A pickup truck with a plow attached was stolen from the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor sometime early Friday morning.

An employee of the Hogan Road facility told police that the truck was last seen at 4:30 a.m. Friday but was gone when someone checked on it four hours later. The truck was locked. An employee told Bangor police Officer Larry Morrill that he had the only two keys to the truck. The 2003 GMC Sierra and plow together were valued at an estimated $20,000.

– Compiled by BDN reporter Doug Kesseli