DAMARISCOTTA, Maine — A midcoast teacher who last year won $1 million for teaching excellence has been accused of shoplifting.
Police said Nancie Atwell of Edgecomb last month allegedly took a $14.99 blouse off the hanger, rolled it up, put it in her purse, then walked out of Renys department store without paying.
Damariscotta police said Renys’ security people saw Atwell putting the blouse in a bag she was carrying. Police posted a photo on Facebook.
Chief Ron Young said Atwell called him within the hour and said it was just a misunderstanding.
“She had said that she had returned it for another item; she had returned a size 12 for a size 14 shirt,” Young said. “She was apologetic that she returned it. She didn’t go through the proper channels. But at no point did I see that she had returned anything.”
Young said three Renys’ employees also said Atwell never returned anything.
Atwell founded the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb. The head of the school, Matt McDonald, also calls it a misunderstanding and said she’s not guilty. Atwell is donating the entire million dollar prize to the school, $100,000 per year over 10 years.
Young said Atwell is a very nice person but said all types of people do things like this.
“The video is pretty clear that she did take something without paying for it,” Young said.
When reached for comment, Nancie Atwell said she is not commenting at this time.
She’s expected to appear in court next month on a single count of theft, a Class E misdemeanor.