Burglary spree in Scarborough

SCARBOROUGH — Scarborough police are urging residents to be vigilant, based on a recent string of burglaries in town and the likelihood of more on the horizon.

Twelve break-ins have been reported in town since Oct. 1 – three involving commercial buildings, the rest residential. According to Detective Rick Rouse, there appears to be no pattern connecting the burglaries, which are believed to be the work of at least three different thieves, and likely more, all working independently of each other.

“Two of the people we are investigating are into drugs,” said Rouse. “Things like this usually have something to do with drugs, whether the crime is committed to fund their habit, or else they’re looking for prescription drugs they can sale, use or trade.”

For instance, the burglary of a Payne Road home on Oct. 16 involved the theft of 14 different drugs, including: Abilify, Cymbalta, Hydrocodone, Imitex, Januvia, Lipitor, Lyrica, Metformin, Omeprazole, Prazosin, Ranitidine, Topiramate and Trazodone.

Whether or not drugs are the primary motive, Scarborough residents can generally count on a spike in burglaries late in the year.

“Scarborough historically has an increase in crime as we get closer to Christmas,” wrote Kim Sperlich, on the department’s Facebook page she maintains.

To date, police have made one arrest, catching Richard A. Steeves Jr., 26, of Portland, in the act of breaking into a home on West Beech Ridge Road on Oct. 26. Rouse said an alert neighbor saw Steeves pull into the yard and, not recognizing him as someone who should be at the home, called 911. Police arrived as Steeves “had a shoulder to the door,” in an attempt to gain entry.

Rouse said it has yet to be determined if Steeves was involved in any of the other burglaries. “This is the only one we can link him to at this time,” he said.

However, Steeves’ modus operandi was similar to other break-ins in the recent spree.

“There’s been forced entry of some kind in each incident,” said Rouse. “Doors have generally been locked.”

However, at least one hit may have been an inside job. In the second of two burglaries at Anjohn’s Italian Restaurant, on Nov. 4, a door was found “propped open overnight.” Although nothing was taken at that time, a cash drawer containing $2,500 was found missing in a similar incident Oct. 31.

Rouse said police “have really good evidence” in that case, as well as in the Payne Road incident. In the latter case, he said, a suspect is currently in custody at Cumberland County Jail on unrelated charges.

In one mini-trend, two of the thefts took place in vacant homes, where burglars cut copper pipes and fittings from basement lines. The first such incident occurred Oct. 10, when 48 feet of copper piping was taken from an unoccupied home on Nelson Road, currently listed for sale.

Copper pipes and wiring also were cut from the basement of an unoccupied home on County Road Oct. 14.

The most recent burglary was reported by Nov. 13 by a couple living on Old Blue Point Road, who found three pieces jewelry missing from their home. These including a gold ring with sapphire and diamond setting valued at $1,200; a gold chain with a Maine tourmaline pendant valued at $4,600; and, a pair of pink tourmaline ear rings valued at $120. The ring was later recovered by the husband, who, Rouse said, happened across it at the Saco Pawn & Loan on Route 1.

“He was there looking for an iPod and saw his wife’s ring in a case,” said Rouse. “He paid $100 to get it back.”

Rouse said police are reviewing pawn records to help identify a suspect.