BUXTON, Maine — Maine State Police say they found stolen items in a Buxton couple’s vehicle and arrested them Wednesday in connection with a string of burglaries.
Shawn Swenson, 28, was charged with 17 burglaries and taken into custody, and his girlfriend, Abigale Hall, 25, faces four burglary charges for allegedly being the getaway driver, Maine State Police spokesman Stephen McCausland said in a Thursday news release.
“Troopers say the burglaries are drug-related to support Swenson’s prescription drug habit,” he said.
Troopers tracked down the couple after two homeowners in Dayton reported a suspicious man at their homes in two separate incidents. Police then learned that Swenson was attempting to pawn suspected stolen jewelry in the Buxton area. One homeowner found a man inside his home and a second resident reported they were home when a man attempted to open their front door, McCausland said.
“Swenson admitted to his involvement in, at least, 17 burglaries in Hollis, Dayton, Buxton, Scarborough and Saco,” McCausland said. “Stolen were jewelry, tools, cash and marijuana.”
Some of the stolen items were pawned and troopers have been checking with area pawn shops to recover them, he said.
Trooper James Macdonald spotted Swenson’s vehicle on River Road in Buxton and stopped it and found Hall was driving, Swenson was in the passenger’s seat, and the couple’s 1-year-old baby was in the back.
“Troopers searched the vehicle and located jewelry stolen earlier in the day from a burglary on the Pease Road in Buxton,” McCausland said.
Swenson was taken to York County Jail, where his bail was set at $5,000 cash. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday in Springvale District Court.
Hall’s court date is April 8 at York County Superior Court.