Police are looking for valuables that may be in Maine as a result of a theft in Massachusetts.
According to police in Wayland, Mass., rare coins and other items valued at $75,000 were stolen from a Sears Road home in that community sometime in September.
Wayland Police Detective Ruth Backman said the homeowner discovered his collection was missing around Sept. 22. During the investigation, the homeowner indicated he had some work done on his house during the summer. The tip led investigators to a housepainter, Alexander Farnsworth, 25.
Police attempts to contact Farnsworth at his Fitchburg, Mass., address were unsuccessful.
During a subsequent Internet search, the homeowner found a news story reporting Farnsworth’s Sept. 30 arrest in Edgecomb by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Following a search of an Edgecomb hotel room, Farnsworth and Brandon Nelson, 25, also of Wiscasset, were arrested and charged with Aggravated Trafficking Heroin class A. The arrest was Nelson’s second on drug charges in nine weeks.
The charges were aggravated due to the recovery of several loaded firearms during the search.
On Sept. 30, LCSO Deputies and MDEA agents found 9.1 grams of heroin, scales, a loaded .40 caliber handgun that was stored with the heroin, and a loaded .357 rifle with a tactical scope that was hidden between the mattress and the box spring.
The heroin once packaged for resale, would have been worth about $8000-$9000 on the streets of Lincoln County. Agents also seized 11 Suboxone pills that have a combined street value of $110.
Farnsworth subsequently died Oct. 9 at Maine Medical Center in Portland after he was discovered in his cell at Two Bridges Regional Jail Oct. 3, suffering injuries consistent with a suicide attempt by hanging.
According to Backman, when she called the LCSO, she was informed that Farnsworth had a large number of coins with him when he was arrested, but LCSO was unaware they were stolen.
Backman recovered a large portion of the collection Oct. 8, but a significant portion remains unaccounted for. Missing items include silver dimes, four gold Canadian coins, 12 gold Olympic commemorative coins, six silver goblets, and an ultra high relief double eagle gold coin.
“We have really tried to reach out to anyone who does resale of coins, pawn dealers (etc.),” Backman said. “We learned he did at least one transaction in Auburn. Those coins have not been recovered.”
Backman said Farnsworth may have sold or given other coins away in private transactions.
Also still missing are some valuables including a pear shaped diamond and a diamond ring, Backman said.
The homeowner, whom police declined to identify, has also reported missing valuables include a gold crucifix and chain, and two necklaces. The homeowner has offered a reward equal to 10 percent of the current value of any items from his collection returned to the Wayland Police Dept.
Anyone with any information relating to this theft is invited to call the Wayland Police at 508-358-4721.
