Illegal Alien Among Two Arrested in Connection to Retail Theft Spree Across Maine

An illegal alien was among two New York-based individuals who were arrested in Auburn on Thursday in connection to a spree of retail thefts across Maine.

According to Auburn Police, at about 11:20 a.m. on Thursday, officers located a vehicle on Washington Street that was being sought in connection to several organized retail thefts around the state.

Police say that the two male occupants refused to stop for police and continued to drive toward the Maine Turnpike, while the occupants began to throw items out of the vehicle into the roadway.

The items, later recovered by the police, were determined to be fake identification cards, as well as identification cards from a variety of foreign countries that the two men were allegedly attempting to destroy before being stopped by the police.

On Friday, Auburn Police announced that their investigation led to the arrest of Francisco Mercedes, 44, of New York, N.Y., for felony organized retail theft, theft by deception, falsifying physical evidence, misuse of identification and driving without a license.

Mercedes was transported to the Androscoggin County Jail, where his bail was set at $6,000 cash.

The second male suspect was identified as 25-year-old Hannier Alexander Orozco-Mosquera, also with a residence in New York.

Police say they learned over the course of their criminal investigation that Orozco-Mosquera was present in the U.S. illegally, and he was turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.

The two men are alleged to have committed retail crime spree involving numerous Home Depot stores in central and southern Maine, where they would use fake identification cards to obtain store credit and make large purchases, then transport the items back to the New York and New Jersey area.

Police say their investigation into the thefts is ongoing and additional arrests and charges are expected.