BREWER – Police in Brewer and Bangor had their hands full Tuesday sorting out what amounted to a van full of groceries, alcohol, clothes and comforters, a day’s worth of work for two alleged shoplifters.

Authorities estimate the two women casually left stores in both cities with more than $1,000 in stolen items they racked up as they moved from store to store. Amidst the more than two dozen half-gallons of coffee brandy, packs of canned soda, 30-packs and 20-packs of beer, jeans, towels, T-shirts, other clothing and comforters, the only items that the women said had not been stolen were some dog food and laundry detergent.

In his 22 years in police work, Brewer police Sgt. Perry Antone said he’s never seen such a cache of items accumulated in just one day.

The two women, identified as Jennifer Stevens, 23, of Medway and Nancy Squeglia, 46, of Mattawamkeag, apparently did it with ease. In fact, the two women were casually walking out of the Brewer Shop ‘n Save, each with a shopping cart full of groceries and other items, when they were spotted by Brewer police. Authorities had been called to the shopping center at 4:30 p.m. after a witness reported seeing two women steal clothing from the nearby Olympia Sports sidewalk sale.

Brewer Sgt. Chris Martin said that when the two women saw his cruiser, they turned around and began searching the parking lot as if they couldn’t find their vehicle. But Martin and Antone had already found the van with the Olympia Sports clothing inside as well as other items.

Martin said he followed them in his cruiser and even asked if he could help them find their car. He said they initially couldn’t describe the vehicle, but eventually confessed to being in the van.

Confronted about the stolen clothing, the women admitted to stealing the items and more, including shoplifting from Marden’s and Shop ‘n Save in Brewer and Shaw’s in Bangor as well as other stores, police said.

Stevens and Squeglia cooperated with the Brewer police investigators and Bangor police Officer Al Hayden as they removed the items from the van and placed them in piles in the parking lot based on which woman stole what and from which store.

Antone said he’d hold up an item and the women would tell them where it was from and who took it. At one point, he said, Squeglia corrected him when he placed an item in Stevens’ piles that belonged in hers.

Both were charged with three counts of theft and one count of receiving stolen property. Stevens also was charged with operating a motor vehicle after revocation and for violating bail conditions from a previous shoplifting charge. Squeglia also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after Martin said police found straws used for snorting drugs and a wax bag with a powder residue on it.