BANGOR, Maine — A Milford man pleaded not guilty Friday in Penobscot County Superior Court to 23 break-ins at businesses in Greater Bangor and to stealing cash from nine of them during the spring and early summer.
Joshua Coffin, 19, was indicted on Sept. 28 by the Penobscot County grand jury on 23 counts of burglary and nine counts of theft of cash.
A trial date has not been set.
The exact amount of money Coffin allegedly stole could not be determined from the indictment, but it appears to be more than $5,000.
His possible motive for the crime was not outlined in court documents.
Coffin was arrested on June 20 by Orono police inside Lissus Pizza on Mill Street, according to court documents. The owner of the neighboring store, Burby and Bates, heard loud noises coming from the adjacent building and called police.
It was the sixth break-in Coffin allegedly committed that day, according to the indictment.
After his arrest, Coffin confessed to the other break-ins, Michael Roberts, deputy district attorney for Penobscot County, said Monday.
Coffin was released three days after his arrest on $1,000 unsecured bail. He remained free on that same bail after his arraignment Friday.
According to the indictment, he broke into the following businesses on the following dates:
— China Garden, Stillwater Avenue, Orono, April 20.
— Dunkin’ Donuts, Hogan Road; Happy China Buffet, Stillwater Avenue; Sprague’s Nursery & Garden Center, Union Street; and Family Tree Landscaping, Stillwater Avenue, all in Bangor, May 1.
— J.C Autobody, State Street, Veazie, May 2.
— Greencare, U.S. Route 2, Hermon, May 3.
— Black Bear Lawn Care, address unknown, Bangor, May 9.
— Marie’s Flowers, South Main Street, Brewer, May 18.
— Dunkin’ Donuts, Route 15, Orrington, May 25.
— Kentucky Fried Chicken-Taco Bell, Wilson Street, Brewer; China Light, Broadway; Pizza Hut, Broadway; Bangor Paint and Wallpaper, Broadway; all in Bangor, June 7.
— Moyse Environmental Services, Husson Avenue; Jackson Realty, Husson Avenue, both in Bangor, June 8.
— Kentucky Fried Chicken-Taco Bell, Broadway, Bangor, June 15.
— Hampden Floral, Main Road North; Pizza Gourmet, Main Road North; Angelo’s, Main Road South; Hampden Laundry Center, Main Road North; and Walter Fasse Law Office, Hamlin Place, all of Hampden; and Lissus Pizza, Orono, June 20.
Coffin was indicted for theft from China Garden, J.C. Autobody, Greencare, Marie’s Flowers, Orrington Dunkin’ Donuts, Brewer KFC, Hampden Floral, Angelo’s and Hampden Laundry.
If convicted, Coffin faces up to five years in prison on the burglaries and three of the thefts, in which he allegedly took more than $1,000. The remaining theft charges are misdemeanors.