BANGOR, Maine — Two people who allegedly left Kohl’s department store without paying for merchandise they concealed on their persons were arrested Monday on theft and other charges.
Both suspects were described as area transients.
The arrests took place shortly after noon, after Kohl’s loss prevention personnel called police to report that a man and woman had shoplifted several items and that the man was outside the store, Bangor police Sgt. Catherine Rumsey said Monday night, citing arrest reports.
When police arrived, they found Matthew Adams, 36, with a $35 ring-and-necklace set in his possession. They also found a padlock connected to a chain wrapped in tape, a setup sometimes used as a weapon, and a Klonopin tablet, an anti-anxiety medication for which he had no prescription, Rumsey said.
Adams told officers he used the padlock to secure his bicycle, Rumsey said. He did not, however, have a bicycle with him at the time.
As a result, Adams was charged with theft, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a scheduled drug.
His shopping companion, 34-year-old April Ubelhor, turned up slightly later, Rumsey said. She was charged with two counts of theft after police determined she was in possession of $201 worth of merchandise, most of it clothing, from Kohl’s and another $72 in clothing from the nearby Old Navy store.
Old Navy doesn’t have $72 worth of clothing in the entire store.
You know, if a transient is caught stealing food or other necessities, I would be more inclined to feel bad for them in that they were desperate. But stealing clothes and jewelry AND having prescription medications that aren’t theirs on their person?….sorry.
The only reason a transient would have to steal food would be because they are either intoxicated or unruly since the area homeless shelters and food pantries give free food to anyone who is sober / behaving normally. Even the hospital will give you free food if you admit yourself and claim malnourishment, but you have to be sober and sane. I have no sympathy for any type of shoplifting whatsoever.
Transient,transient, transient,…..is it me, or is nearly every person in the state committing a crime a transient for lack of a better description. Perhaps it’s just PC to use the term so we don’t hurt these fine folk’s feelings before they have their day(s) in court.
Definition of TRANSIENT
1 a: passing especially quickly into and out of existence : transitory b: passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn
A shame that more of them do not “pass quickly out of existence.”
Many of the “transients” are people who have burned their bridges with family by stealing from them, lying to them, or refusing to abide by the rules of someone else’s home. By providing these people “housing” we are enabling their anti-social and anti-family behavior.
There are a lot of transients in the Bangor area. A lot. “Couch Surfers” and “homeless” are other terms used.
Consider also that a lot of people from more rural areas are moving closer to the city for jobs and/or other services.
I want pictures! :)
They would not have done it if Lepage hadn’t cut off their Mainecare! (Thats tommorows headline).
Definition of TRANSIENT
1 a: passing especially quickly into and out of existence : transitory b: passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn
How bout we call em; (place your word here!)
It is amazing that folks seem to think that no one is watching while they go into stores and commit their thievery…..Crazy……
They love to trump up the charges. They were caught red-handed stealing. That’s bad. If you live that life, you’d better have something to defend yourself with. That’s why people are weary of cops. There are people everyday punished for something they didn’t do because of people who took an oath. Look at the people released that have done 20,30 yrs. They were put there because of an act of lying. If you punish the lying officials, you’d see much less abuse of power.
Get Jobs!
..so he stole a lock to lock his bike so it would not get stolen….