CAPE ELIZABETH – Two young men who burglarized Portland Head Light on Nov. 7, stealing a lithograph, were caught less than a half mile away from the historic site after crashing their getaway vehicle into a stonewall, according to the Cape Elizabeth Police Department.

According to Edward Hunt, a public safety clerk with the Cape Elizabeth Police Department, shortly after 1 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, officers responded to a burglar alarm at the historic lighthouse, located in Fort Williams Park.

Police found a window at the Museum at Portland Head Light broken and called for aid from South Portland police to help secure the area and conduct a search, using K-9 police dogs. Cape police Capt. Brent Sinclair said Tuesday that officers from Portland and Scarborough also assisted at the scene.

While en route, South Portland officers came across a 2004 Toyota Tacoma smashed up against a stonewall on Shore Road, near the end of Stony Brook Road, said Hunt.

“There was evidence that linked that accident to the burglary,” said Hunt.

According to Police Chief Neil Williams, police found beside the vehicle a 3-foot square lithograph of ships at sea, taken from the museum.

“The vehicle had crashed so violently that the picture was actually found outside the vehicle, on the ground beside it,” he said on Tuesday.

Police arrested two young men, both from York, at the accident scene, according to Hunt.

Adam Ruger, 20, was charged with burglary, aggravated criminal mischief, refusing to submit to arrest, possession of burglary tools and theft. Ruger’s Facebook page lists him as a “sternman” who attends classes at Southern Maine Community College.

Zachary Faskianos, 18, was charged with driving while intoxicated, burglary, aggravated criminal mischief and theft.

There is no known motive for the crime, or any indication of why the lithograph, in particular, was targeted.

“They did not talk at all about the events,” said Sinclair, referring to the alleged burglars.

“I think alcohol was involved, let’s say that,” said Williams.

According to the chief, a second lithograph, believed to be of the first lighthouse keeper at Portland Head Light, was damaged and left at the scene of the crime.

“They broke it but still were not able to get it off the wall,” said Williams.

Cape police still have the lithograph found at the crash scene. Neither it nor the one left behind are thought to be of great value, being modern prints, although a dollar figure wouldn’t be known until replacement costs can be determined.

According to the Cumberland County Jail, both men were released on $2,500 cash bail pending a court appearance to answer the charges.

Zachary FaskianosAdam Ruger