The Wiscasset Police Department has arrested two Wiscasset residents for allegedly stealing copper and other metals from two properties they had allegedly burglarized on Feb. 11, according to a news release from Chief Troy Cline.
Ronald E. Williams Jr., 41, and Tylor Miller, 18, both of Wiscasset, were arrested on Feb. 12 and 13, respectively.
Williams is charged with allegedly committing two counts of burglary, two counts of theft, refusal to submit to arrest or detention, and violation of conditions of release, according to the news release. He is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail while he awaits a court appearance, according to the release.
Miller was booked and released at TBRJ on charges of allegedly committing two counts of burglary and two counts of theft, according to the release.
Cline said in a telephone interview, Wiscasset Police Officer Geoffrey Davis responded to a reported structure fire the evening of Feb. 11; a burning shed located at 285 Birch Point Rd., Lot 21.
The fire seemed suspicious after Williams allegedly admitted to dropping a cigarette butt inside the shed, Cline said.
“Anytime someone says they just dropped a cigarette and started a fire, it’s a little bit odd,” Cline said. “Things were not adding up.”
Cline instructed Davis to call the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Officer Donald Smith, who came on for the midnight shift, relieved Davis at the fire scene so Davis could take Williams to wait at the police station for the fire marshal’s investigator to arrive, Cline said.
While at the scene, Smith noticed a large quantity of melted metal and copper wiring.
“He suspected there may have been a burglary, because copper thefts and burglaries have been prevalent of late because of the cost of the copper if you turn it in,” Cline said.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Williams and Miller had committed two burglaries at other locations on Birch Point Road, Cline alleges. Detectives from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation, he said.
Asked if the value of the metals was known, Cline said, “At this point we don’t, but it’s a large quantity of copper and other metals; copper and silver predominantly.”
Sgt. Ken Grimes of the State Fire Marshal’s Office said the investigation of the Feb. 11 shed fire in Wiscasset is still ongoing.
“We believe it’s a human element fire,” Grime said. Investigators are trying to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the fire, he said.
An earlier version of this story stated the fire was ruled not to be an arson.
