BANGOR, Maine — A man described by police as a transient is facing a Class C felony burglary charge after he allegedly stole prescription drugs, cash and a cellphone from the home of a Bangor resident who took him and his girlfriend in because they had no place to go.
Eric Ducas, 25, also has been charged with theft, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said Monday, citing an arrest report.
Edwards said that Bangor police received a complaint earlier this month from a Bolling Drive resident who said that he had allowed Ducas and his girlfriend to stay at his home for a few weeks in June and July because they were homeless. The visit, however, “wasn’t working out” because the couple argued a great deal and the resident asked them to leave.
The resident told police that Ducas showed up at his home last week saying he wanted to borrow something and while he was there, asked to use the bathroom. After Ducas left, the resident noticed that someone, likely Ducas, had gone through his belongings. He reported that cash, prescription drugs and his cellphone were missing.
When police caught up with Ducas on Friday, a cellphone matching the serial number of the one missing from Bolling Drive was in his possession. After he was interviewed at the Bangor Police Department, Ducas was arrested and taken to Penobscot County Jail, where he remained late Monday night, a jail official confirmed.
Where was the “transient” from and how did he happen to end up in Bangor? Could someone please do some investigative journalism for once. Perhaps go to the HOPE house or the other shelters and find out what is really going on here! Good people are leaving Bangor and all these “transients” are moving in.
Being a “Transient” isnt a choice why dont you give it a try for a day and were not all criminals…thanx for the ignorance
The Transient chose to come to Bangor. Why was that? Committing a crime is a choice. Choosing to take advantage of others kindness is also a choice. Do you agree with this behavior? Why don’t you give a try at being a victim of a “transient”? If you are a transient, you obviously chose to leave where you were from. That was a choice.
Not all transients are drug addicts or criminals but anyone who is homeless – let’s be real – “transient” is homeless – is either down on their luck (it’s life, bad things happen) or up to no good. There is hope for those willing to turn their lives around or get back up on their feet – and many people do. Criminals tend to follow patterns of behavior – just like drug addicts and alcoholics – and it’s never safe to lower your guard to someone you do not know. Transients in general tend to move from one urban area to another because that is where all the taxpayer funded benefits come from. Any transient who can physically work and get a job should be ashamed for making it a lifestyle choice. I feel for those down on their luck but those who become professional beggars playing the victim card deserve no sympathy. Everyone has a chance to change in this country – it’s a choice.
Sorry if you don’t want to hear this, but most transients are criminals. Also, 99% of who we are, what we do, where we live, what we have, etc., etc., is BY CHOICE.
How do you know being homeless is a choice? Is inheritance a choice of the person born?
–What facts do you have to support this?
–I can forward you some literature on poverty, if you wish to refute it, that is fine. You should at least give it a go.
Being poor is not a choice, it is an episodic event that creates more incremental poverty; poverty of the mind, poverty of choices, poverty of language.
Why People Hate The Poor:
—We refute the experiences of the poor in order to feel better about ourselves and our own choices. If we say it must be individualistic behavior, then it means we have no responsibility to the people who suffer, because it is them that decided to suffer.
What You Say is Not a Solution:
If we make sure they suffer more with no help because it is their own fault, then they will know to be a better person? Without any support nor education on how to be a better person, they will magically become a better person. I would believe that your theory would create more problems:
*Increase of Issues:
-Increase in unwanted pregnancies
-Increased child neglect and abuse
-Increase in prison population (currently the largest in the world)
–800,000 prisoners currently (#’s differ mildly, estimated $40,000 per head)
-Increase in Judicial costs
(even if you do not believe we have to pay for their lawyer)
-Increase in petty and violent crimes
-Increase in domestic violence
— (has been on the rise as our economy has been slowed)
-Increase in justifiable homicide
–More home robberies for money and drugs, means more people shot.
-Increase in taxes would have to occur at a much larger cost then it is to deal with the problem now.
People who are at risk of poverty (using your theory):
Decreased literacy rates
Decreased graduation rates
Decreased employment
Increase in the above*
I do not agree with you about your theory, I do not think it is logical and I believe it is only an opinion that is not backed up by fact. I am sorry that you must hate those that do not have and think yourself superior due to nothing more then choice.
On any given night there are 70,000 “transit” war veterans.
Glad to know that as far as your concerned they are all criminals.
Your ability to stereotype is stellar.
As a veteran, I would like some evidence of this. 70,000 is ludicrous – an insane lie if you ask me. The Department of Veteran Affair’s and many civilian organizations have no shortage of funds or agencies to help Vets in need. But then – you can only help the willing. Some veterans have serious mental health issues I’m sure and some – yes *some* ARE criminals. I speak from personal knowledge that not everyone who ETS’s from military service is an upstanding citizen. I could name off 20-30 people I knew who were using or dealing drugs while in uniform – so save the blanket statements about every veteran being a hero. Some have disgraced our nation – a small percentage – but it doesn’t matter whether someone serves or not if they are up to no good. I served eight years and can say I knew some of the best men and women – and to a much much lesser extent – a few of the worst. But don’t DENY that some veterans are criminals and disgrace the rest of us who live honorable lives as best as we can.
Insane lie ? you better go look it up 70k is the number the government gives.No one even tried to DENY that some vets are criminals , just like some police and politicians.And if you sat by and watched 20-30 men deal and use drugs while serving and did nothing maybe they are not the only one who disgraced the nation.
when is Bangor & Brewer going to stop housing & feeding these ‘stray cats’ ? they will never leave or stop coming…and as we read…they are always in trouble….(the streets don’t seem to be safe anymore).
Brewer doesn’t house stray cats, human or otherwise. The only social service they provide is trashy hotel rooms for the cocaine dealers when they are in town. They totally depend on Bangor taxpayers to address social problems.
You got that right. Why is it only Bangor that takes them on? You see Holden, Orono, Old Town, Brewer PD always dropping off their transents in Bangor so the Bangor Taxpayers foots the bill.
Hey,cats wont steal your stuff.Ever.Unless its shrimp.If its shrimp,and you leave it out,they may {probably will}steal it..
Ahhh!!! The rewards for helping others..
I’ve helped a few people for years and years. and still do. There is one area I stop at. and that is I don’t bring them into my home… I never bring them into my home for any reason.. that is my space along with my families.. If they need a ride, want to talk or even money for a couple 40 oz’ers and cigs.. but I never bring them home…
People are desperate for kindness and to be treated like human and do things just to survive… the drug addicts can’t be helped and are dangerous because they crave drugs and will do anything for it…
One thing to remember.. Never allow people to assume that your kindnness is a weakness.
No good deed goes unpunished!
No good deed goes unpunished.
This is why people are so hesitant to help the “homeless”.
Really? I would say they get a ton of help.
Go to City hall and ask for the Homeless shelter budget. Look at the funding they receive and where they get it. Look at the percentage of funds received from the local community vs. federal and state aid. Look at the payroll of the staff there. Sit down before you read it.
It is a shame you cannot do a good deed for anyone anymore these days it really bites that society has come to that point.. that you cannot help a human being with housing and food. and just do it as a generosity and get burned for it.. i hope he gets a good amount of time for this..what goes around comes around I always say…
I would of put them in a barn or garage, not my home either.. we have done this but they were in a garage or another part of the place not our home.. ever…
Here is an idea. STOP HOUSING TRANSIENT DRUG ADDICTS
In times past, social welfare consisted of putting the down and out to work for their food. Today’s transients are largely too lazy and lethargic to produce anything resembling a work ethic. Those who truly are left homeless by adversity learn to overcome their problems or seek help and move forward. Some just want to make their entire life based on substance abuse because many helpful people and agencies require the transients show up SOBER and not high. If you can stay sober, you typically can find housing, a job, and people to network with. We aren’t a third world country for crying out loud. There needs to be strings attached to free help – only because if a man is to have any self respect he must first learn the value of work.
This is what’s called biting the hands that feeds you.
BDN uses the term “transient” and “homeless” interchangeably. I know this man. He is NOT a passer-through. He LIVES in Bangor. ——–Stupid me, feeding the Trolls.
So stealing from someone who helps you out is OK as long as you have fallen on hard times.??