Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

August 7, 2012

Dispatches

From staff and news services

SCARBOROUGH

Loaded pistol among items stolen from unlocked cars

Police are investigating a series of car burglaries, including one in which a loaded 9 mm pistol was taken.

Police said the car burglaries were reported over the weekend on Beech Ridge Road and Ottawa Woods Road. The cars were all unlocked, police said.

Other items stolen included an iPhone, expensive sunglasses, a carton of cigarettes and an iPod. Police urged residents to lock their cars, saying that locked cars were not broken into even though they were parked alongside those that were raided.

Walmart customers say man took photos up their dresses

Scarborough police are investigating a case in which customers at the Walmart store in town reported a man with a miniature camera on his shoe taking pictures up women's dresses.

Police released a security image that they say shows a man who was reported to have the camera attached to his shoe.

Several women reported the incident, which occurred on July 16. The suspect is described as white, with a shaved head and no facial hair, who was wearing a green polo shirt.

Police ask that anyone with information call 730-4314 or the anonymous tip hotline at 730-4200, extension 3093.

PORTLAND

Biker's trek raises $16,000 for gay-marriage efforts

An advocate for same-sex marriage is finishing a cross-country bicycle trip in Portland that's raised money for gay-marriage initiatives in Maine and other states.

Richard Carey of New York City began his 3,700-mile, 54-day trek in June in Vancouver, Wash., to raise money and support for the legalization of gay marriage.

Carey, 53, ends his trip Tuesday in Portland, where he'll join gay-marriage supporters for a news conference at the headquarters of the Mainers United for Marriage organization.

Carey has raised about $16,000 during the trip that will be used in support of gay-marriage efforts. His goal is to raise more than $25,000.

Mainers will vote in November on a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in Maine.

GREENVILLE

Less wind means progress for crews fighting wildfire

With winds dying down, crews are making progress in battling a wildfire on a mountain near Greenville.

Forest rangers said Monday that the reduction in wind means helicopters were able to ferry 10 firefighters, two forest rangers and a medic up to Spencer Mountain. Helicopters are replenishing a portable water tank, which is being used by firefighters.

Firefighters hope to have the blaze contained by Tuesday morning, but it could take the rest of the week to put the fire out for good. No one has been hurt.

Construction workers who were building a communication tower for the border patrol were in the area around the time the fire broke out over the weekend.

CORNISH

Deputies stop car for noise, end up arresting two men

York County sheriff's deputies stopped a car in Cornish on Saturday because its muffler was loud, and within a few minutes had two people in custody.

The passenger in the car, Austin Frew, 18, of Rhode Island, is wanted for robbery in Massachusetts, police said. He initially complied with Deputy Bob Carr's instruction to get out of the car and put his hands on the roof, but when the deputy went to pat him down, he ran, police said.

Carr caught him a short distance away.

When Carr returned to the car, he smelled alcohol and gave the driver, John Kuczek, 43, of Cornish, a field sobriety test, then arrested him for driving under the influence.

Frew was scheduled to appear in York County Superior Court in Alfred to face extradition proceedings, after which he will be sent to Massachusetts.

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