Fort Kent thief takes $10,000 from shop

FORT KENT – Police were looking Wednesday for a man in connection with a break-in and theft of more than $10,000 from a florist shop last week.

The same man also may be connected with a crime that occurred at the University of Maine at Fort Kent earlier this summer, according to police.

Police Chief Kenneth Michaud said there is an all-points bulletin out for the man, who allegedly paid $3,400 in cash for a car in the area Friday morning, then left town.

Michaud declined to give any details about the suspect or the car.

The incident at Pelletier Florist, 500 W. Main St., occurred late Thursday or early Friday and was reported Friday morning. The plastic around Pelletier’s greenhouse was cut, the door to the office was kicked in, and cash was taken from the safe.

Michaud said the business does not normally have so much cash in its safe, but had kept the money on the premises because it had taken some deposits on pellet stoves and wanted to have money on hand in case customers wanted their deposits returned.

The man police are seeking in connection with the florist incident is also a suspect in a burglary reported at UMFK two weeks ago, Michaud said. In that incident, soil testing equipment was taken from a laboratory.

Theft of more than $10,000 is considered a Class B crime, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.

Pelletier Florist owners Robert and Gloria Johnson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

jbloch@bangordailynews.net

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