ORONO, Maine — An Old Town couple were charged with theft after shoplifting a steak from the Bell’s IGA supermarket on Stillwater Avenue on Monday afternoon, Orono police Capt. Josh Ewing said Tuesday.

Molly Anderson and Matthew El-Hajj, both 20, left the store at about 1 p.m. without paying for the concealed steak, valued at $6.59, the police captain said.

“They were in the store and employees saw El-Hajj pick up a package of meat and put it in her purse,” Ewing said, referring to Anderson.

Store employees stopped Anderson outside the store, and “El-Hajj left before we got there,” he said.

She was charged with theft. Police caught up with El-Hajj later in the day and also charged him with theft. El-Hajj was convicted of being a minor in possession of liquor in December 2011, according to court listings printed in the Bangor Daily News. (Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN)

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42 Comments

  1. Nice job, Sir(loin)! Were there any (rib)eye witnessess? Were they (NY) strip searched? All around, A-1 job!

    1. the costs are going to continue to add up for this crime, when the jobs are turned down due to background check revealing being charged for ‘theft’

  2. The story leaves several unanswered questions.  Was the steak saved?  If not, what seasonings were used?  Were there side dishes prepared?  Did the police grill the suspects?  

    Lunch time I think.

  3. Yeah, but if it’s not a story, why did we all click on it? Sometimes the headline is better than the story.

  4.  Sounds like they were hungry.  Some might say it was stupid since the fine is much higher than the cost of the steak, but what if you were really THAT hungry? What if you had no choice?

    1. Buy a bag of potatoes. The Irish used to even grow their own living on only that and cabbage (until they all immigrated here). Or maybe make some grass soup like the North Koreans do..

  5. This paper has become a police blotter.  Even worse, we read and comment on this nickle-dime stuff.

    1. haha, very true  you did, and I did :) I eat a lot of steak. wonder if it tastes different when stolen, I always have had to pay for my steaks, hmmm    food for thought

  6. How embarrassing to end up in the paper for something like this. I dont condone stealing, but if its for food, I kinda kinda feel sympathy for them.

    1. People like that more than likely have friends with similar habits. There’s no shame.

        1. Matt, I’d be the first guy to help out someone in a bad spot- sounds like you would too. However, there’s never an excusable reason to steal from a business or individual. What kind of a   man leaves his girlfreind in that situation?

          1.  True. I saw that,  and was kinda displeased. Stealing is never okay, but its not like they hit up the booze isle. For a 6 dollar steak, if I was the business owner. I personally wouldn’t press charges. If they were that hungry, i’d take the money out of my own pocket. Not because it would just make me feel good about myself, but to know that I made somebody else feel better.

          2. If they didn’t press charges then there would be more and more people stealing money from the business because they don’t think they will press charges. By pressing charges on people who steal, cuts down on the stealers and saves the business money. 

    2. Sorry no excuse, they could have gone to one of the local food cupboards if they needed food. Matter of fact one of the food cupboards were giving people beef last month.   Shame on the ll people who liked your comment.

        1. That’s if they are caught. I was just saying that if you gotta steal food, that one pound of beans would go a lot further than a pound of gristle. :)

    1. yes i understand starving, but there are food pantries and shelters to go get a decent meal you still don’t have to steal it when it is handed to you!!

  7. I’m no more irritated with these two for stealing a steak than I am when I’m watching someone with a EBT card buying T-Bones. Neither one of them paid. Now a truly needy family using the card to get the most they can for their family is another story.

    1. Or what irritates me even more is the cash side and seeing someone buy booze with it. Makes me sick to think about it

    2. So people with EBT don’t have a right to have a T-bone once in a while? I personally Get EBT and I also work 40 to 50 hours a week supporting a family of 5, and let me tell you, When I go shopping with my EBT you can bet that I am going to throw a couple of T-Bones in my cart!

        1. With a reply like that it sounds like you should have no children! When I had my 3rd child my husband had a great job making great money! Then about a year ago the mill shut down and he was with out work! Sad to say, but things can sometimes chang for the worst! Maybe you should consider that before you pass judgement! It is not like I sit home and do nothing and let the state support me! For the first time in 8 years (since I have had my first child) I needed assistance and I had to fight just to get it. I work by butt off and my tax dollars goes towards it as well. THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE!

  8. So, He was home grilling steak while she was getting grilled by the cops!!!!  Nice Guy.

  9. Next time get a sign that says, “Will work or food”. It will get you fed faster and no jail time.

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