RICHMOND, Maine — Richmond police arrested one man and are searching for two others who they say stole a donation jar containing hundreds of dollars from the Umberhine Public Library last month.
Patrick Alexander, 19, of Richmond was arrested Thursday and charged with violation of conditions of release, Richmond Police Chief Scott MacMaster said Tuesday. He also was charged with Class D misdemeanor theft in connection with the library incident.
Police are searching for two other men, Trevor Korineck, 20, of Richmond and Alexander Nappe, also 20, whose last known address was in Auburn.
Police believe the three men conspired to steal a large bottle full of $100 to $200 in bills and coins donated to Umberhine Library.
On Thursday, MacMaster and Officer James Donnell stopped a blue Toyota matching the description of a vehicle used in the theft. MacMaster said police later identified two of the occupants, Alexander and Korineck, from videotape of the theft.
Alexander was arrested at Korineck’s home and remains at Two Bridges Regional Jail.
The donation jar, about the size of a large water-cooler bottle, was stolen from the library at midday Jan. 20.
“The reason it’s such an egregious theft is they [the suspects] were standing outside the library and our librarian, who has just got a heart of gold, tucked her head out and said, ‘If you boys are looking to warm up, come into the library and hang out,’” MacMaster said Tuesday. “They went in, made conversation, used the bathroom and said they were waiting for a ride.”
The two then left in a vehicle, but MacMaster said, “At some point, [Alexander] was dropped back off. He steals the jug and they take off. It was a good deed done by our librarian to invite these individuals in to warm up and hang out.”
MacMaster said police did not recover the donations, and suspect the donation jar was thrown from the vehicle near the Bowdoinham-Topsham town line.
Since the theft, a GoFundMe fundraiser seeking to replace the donations had raised $1,620 as of 3 p.m. Tuesday. MacMaster said the funds were raised to pay for library programming and equipment.
MacMaster said police would like to speak to the two men before Friday, “so we can get the case resolved sooner rather than later.” Otherwise, he said, they will seek arrest warrants.