FARMINGTON — A Farmington man faces felony charges — possibly in three separate courts — after he allegedly stole boats from across the region and sold them on a local radio station flea market program.

Daniel Dustin, 22, was arrested after a man recognized his stolen canoe in the possession of someone who bought in on the radio show.

Police believe Dustin stole the boats over a period of time, beginning in June, demonstrating a pattern of criminal activity that led to the felony charges, according to Farmington Police Detective Mark Bowering.

Dustin drove around looking for opportunities to steal boats and carried bolt cutters with him to make the job easier, police said.

The thefts were widespread enough that he may have court dates in Franklin, Kennebec and “most likely Androscoggin County” to answer the charges, Bowering said.

He is believed to have stolen at least nine canoes and kayaks, as well as a paddle boat.

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The charges against Dustin were announced last Thursday by Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, after they were tipped by someone who bought a stolen canoe.

The canoe’s buyer was approached by someone who said the canoe had been stolen from him, according to Bowering, prompting the buyer to tell the Farmington police.

Maine State Trooper Matt Casavant said that after stealing a boat, Dustin would call Farmington radio station WKTJ and attempt to sell it on the air during Phone-Mart, a 10-minute on-the-air flea market that is broadcast three times a day.

Most of the boats have been reunited with their owners, but police are still seeking the owners of one canoe, which had been padlocked to a tree in the Farmington Falls area, and one kayak, Bowering said.

Police are also seeking the buyer of a Dimension Typhoon kayak stolen from Fayette.

Bowering asked that anyone with information related to those boats to call him at 778-312.


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