ROCKLAND, Maine — After getting the public’s help on Monday to identify a “person of interest” from supermarket surveillance photos, local police have charged a Rockport man with theft and burglary.
Owen Hebert, 18, was summoned and will be arraigned on the charges in Rockland Unified Court on Sept. 19.
A woman initially reported to Rockland police that her purse, containing her identification and house keys, was stolen from her cart while she was shopping at Hannaford on Sunday, July 31.
Then on the morning of Aug. 1, the woman discovered that someone had been in her home and taken some items during the night, while she and her family were sleeping, according to a press release issued Tuesday by the Rockland Police Department.
Since the residence was locked and there was no sign of forced entry, police believed the suspect had used a key to get in.
After Hannaford’s loss prevention department provided Rockland investigators with images from their surveillance video taken around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, police shared the photos with the media and posted copies on the department’s Facebook page seeking the public’s help with an identification of the alleged suspect.
Hebert was identified and contacted by police late Monday, but his name and the charges were not released until Tuesday.
“The response from Hannaford was swift and very helpful, and the public’s assistance in identifying Hebert was phenomenal,” Chief Bruce Boucher of the Rockland Police Department said in Tuesday’s release. “The police and community working hand-in-hand is ideal, and that is what makes this such a great place to live.”
The case was investigated by Rockland Officer Scott Solorzano, Detective Joel Neal and Thomaston Police Chief Kevin Haj.