Police are looking for three men who pretended – briefly – to be police officers while they stole medical marijuana plants last week in Winterport. Surveillance cameras recorded images of the trio in the act.
On Saturday, another medical marijuana theft took place, this one in Standish. In that case, sheriff’s deputies – the real ones – charged two men with theft and aggravated assault after they allegedly beat up the owner and doused him with pepper spray.
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In the Winterport case, police released photos from security cameras Monday in an effort to identify the men responsible for the armed robbery, which occurred about 7 a.m. on Sept. 21.
The three men wore fake police items, including a SWAT-style vest, a hat with “Police” across the front and a shirt with “Sheriff” written on the front – all of which can be purchased from online retailers, according to Maine State Police. One man pointed what police believe was a semi-automatic handgun.
One clue that they weren’t real law enforcement: When the homeowner confronted the three men, they ran off with an armload of mature marijuana plants, police said.
No shots were fired and nobody was hurt.
Anyone with information is asked to call Maine State Police at 624-7076 and ask for trooper Elisha Fowler or Sarah Ferland.
In Standish, two men tried to sneak into the outdoor growing area of a medical marijuana provider on Richville Road on Saturday afternoon but tripped alarms. When they were confronted by the homeowner, they knocked him to the ground and kicked him repeatedly, then sprayed him with pepper spray, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
The homeowner was taken to the hospital for treatment of broken ribs and also needed stitches for a split lip, authorities said. The men cut down a number of mature marijuana plants, stuffed them in a duffel bag and ran off. Deputies caught up with them and took them into custody.
They were identified as Justin Vadas, 35, of Gray and Clyde Humiston, 33, of Portland. They were charged with aggravated assault and theft.
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