The Damariscotta Police Department is looking for a local man in connection with a robbery in the municipal parking lot the morning of Jan. 10.
Joshua D. “Josh” Benner, 26, of Damariscotta, faces charges of class A robbery and class D assault. The felony robbery charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison; the misdemeanor assault charge by up to 364 days in jail.
Benner and two other men who also remain at large allegedly assaulted another man behind Renys Underground and Benner stole $1,000 in cash from the man, according to Damariscotta Police Chief Ron Young.
The alleged victim told police he had $1,000 cash in his pocket to buy a used car. Between 10-10:30 a.m., he met Benner and two other men.
Benner and the other men approached him and “started punching him in the head and ribs … causing him to fall to the ground,” Young said.
“He said Josh reached into his pocket and removed the money,” Young said. “He said Josh and the two unknown men ran toward Main Street.”
The victim and Benner know each other, Young said. The victim looked for Benner at his Damariscotta address, but he was not there.
The victim then returned home. He reported the incident at about 1:15 p.m., Young said. Reserve Officer Mark Graham investigated the complaint.
The victim did not require medical attention, Young said. The police department has since obtained a warrant for Benner’s arrest on the robbery and assault charges.
The other two men could face charges of simple assault or robbery and assault, depending on their involvement in the incident, Young said. The men were white. Further descriptions were not available.
The department asks anyone with information about Benner’s whereabouts or the Jan. 10 incident to call 832-4000.
The Monmouth Police Department is also looking for Benner, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. The department wants to question Benner about a motor vehicle burglary.
The Monmouth post describes Benner as white, 5 feet 9 inches tall and 180 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. The post cautions civilians not to approach Benner.
Benner was last seen in Monmouth Sunday, Jan. 25, according to the post.