Maine State Police arrested two Biddeford men in connection to more than 25 commercial burglaries in the Midcoast this year, including, allegedly, an August break-in at Yellowfront Grocery in Damariscotta.
Michael Warner, 37, and Taylor Shultz, 34, were arrested Friday, Sept. 26 and initially charged with possession of stolen property according to Maine Public Safety spokesperson Stephen McCausland. Charges for the multiple burglaries are pending.
Damariscotta Patrol Officer Kyle Sylvester participated in the task force made up of local, county, and federal agencies that led to the arrests.
Sylvester was invited to join the task force after the Aug. 23 break-in at Yellowfront Grocery matched the pattern of burglaries in the Midcoast. In the burglaries, two suspects would enter the building and disable the alarm system to prevent authorities from being notified.
It is believed a third person would keep watch outside
The burglars attempted to disable the security system in Yellowfront Grocery by cutting the phone lines, however a backup alarm system was in place and alerted the Damariscotta Police Department. Nothing was taken during the burglary.
“Based on the method of entry and how they operated inside the building, as well as the physical descriptions we observed on the security video, we believe it is the same people,” Sylvester said.
Sylvester attended a meeting Aug. 25 with multiple agencies, including Maine State Police and the Augusta Police Department. He was not present when the search warrants were executed Sept. 26.
According to McCausland, stolen property, drugs, and more than 80 items of evidence were seized as a result of the execution of multiple search warrants. The total value of the items stolen and the damages to businesses exceeds $200,000.
“It was a great experience to work with the different agencies toward a common goal,” Sylvester said.
Warner and Shultz appeared in Cumberland County District Court on Monday. They are currently being held at Cumberland County Jail in Portland, according to jail personnel.
Both men are scheduled to return to court Dec. 15 for dispositional conference. The investigation is ongoing as officials are currently seeking a third suspect wanted on the same charges.
