South Portland Police arrested a 33-year-old Windham man following an investigation into an 18-month-long string of thefts from the Newbury Comics store in the Maine Mall.
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Police announced the arrest on Monday following an investigation sparked by a shoplifting incident reported on August 22.
In the weeks following that report, Newbury Comics staff worked with police to identify other incidents in which the same Windham man stole from the store.
During the investigation, the South Portland Police released security camera footage of the Windham man, asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect.
With help from a tip from the public and cooperation from other local pawn shops, police identified the suspect and spoke with him.
While being interviewed by police, the suspect allegedly admitted to stealing over 500 items, mostly vinyl records, from the comic book store in a spree of thefts that lasted 18 months.
According to police, the stolen items were worth over $25,000 total.
It is unclear why the store only reported the shoplifting incident in August if the same man has been walking out of the store with vinyl records for well over a year.
Though the police released the age and town of residence of the suspect, they strangely did not release his name. He faces charges of theft by unauthorized taking.
