CAMDEN – A Belfast man was arrested following an investigation by Camden Police for allegedly stealing almost $8,000 worth of items from an antiques store and a vehicle, and using a stolen credit card to make purchases valued at approximately $2,000.

Carlton E. Abbott, 60, was arrested by police on Oct. 21 and charged with burglary of a motor vehicle, theft, and the misuse of identification.

Abbott was taken to the Knox County Jail and was later released on $500 unsecured bail. He will make his initial appearance in Knox County Unified Court Dec. 16.

According to the affidavits filed in Knox County Unified Court by Camden police officers Wes Butler and Jonathon Morgan, the investigation began Sept. 27 when the officers were dispatched to Antiques at 10 Mechanic for a reported shoplifting in progress.

When police arrived at the scene, the person who made the complaint identified a vehicle pulling out of a public parking lot and said that the driver was the suspected shoplifter. The officers were able to stop the vehicle without incident. 

Police spoke with staff at the business and they stated that the male driver of the vehicle was also seen stealing items on the store’s surveillance video from the previous week. 

The driver was identified as Abbott and when police ran his license through Knox Regional Communications Center, they discovered that his first name and address were similar to identifying information from another recent theft in Camden on Sept. 18, which was a burglary of a motor vehicle, according to the affidavit.

On Sept. 18, Camden police had responded to Atlantic Ave. after a woman reported that her front passenger window of her vehicle was broken and her purse was missing with other items, including $1,900 in cash and various pieces of jewelry.

The next day the victim was notified that someone had attempted to use her credit card at a bookstore in Ellsworth.

Camden police spoke with an employee at the store in Ellsworth who said that a man had used a credit card with a woman’s name on it, which was declined. The man mentioned to the employee that he was going to a music store next door to continue shopping. A surveillance video was not available, but the clerk was able to provide a description of the man to police.

Police then contacted the music store and they learned a man matching the same description used cash to buy a guitar. The employee at this store said that the man mentioned his name was “Carl” and he was from Belfast. A surveillance video also was not available at the store, according to the affidavit.

On Sept. 27, after the alleged shoplifting in progress at the antiques store, police interviewed Abbott at the Camden police station. The suspect stated that he is taking several medications and if they are not working, he commits the crimes. Police then questioned Abbott about additional thefts in Camden and he admitted that he burglarized the motor vehicle on Sept. 18 and then used the stolen credit card.

Police showed pictures of the stolen jewelry to the suspect, and he admitted that he had the items at his residence, according to the affidavit. He also admitted to stealing another credit card at the Camden public landing and using it to buy merchandise at Walmart, the Tractor Supply Company, and Maine Sport.

Items purchased at the stores included a 65-inch TV, an iPad, a Husqvarna model chainsaw, an Osprey hiking backpack, a memory foam mattress cover, and Ray Ban sunglasses, police said.

The officers asked Abbott what he did with all of the items and if he had sold any of them. Abbott stated he still had all of the jewelry and other items at this home and that the chainsaw was in his vehicle, according to police. He gave police permission to retrieve the chainsaw and the other stolen items at his home.

They then followed Abbott to his home in Belfast to retrieve the remaining items, according to the affidavit.

Police later confirmed that the jewelry recovered matched the descriptions given at the scene at Antiques at 10 Mechanic and by the victim of the car burglary.

After police processed the recovered stolen items at the station, they said the approximate values were $1,000 in jewelry from the antiques store, $2,000 for the items charged on the credit card and $6,900 from the car burglary which included $1,900 cash and various pieces of jewelry.

Camden Detective Sergeant Curt Andrick requested an arrest warrant for Abbott on Oct. 9 and he was arrested by police Oct. 21.

Sarah Shepherd can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com