EAST DIXFIELD — Three men were charged Thursday with burglarizing businesses in Jay, New Vineyard and Weld early Wednesday, police said.
Einer Bonilla, 21, and Duane Bailey, 27, both of Grand Island, Neb., and D’Kota Rowe, 20, of East Dixfield were arrested on charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief in a burglary at My Dad’s Place on Old Jay Hill Road in North Jay, Jay police Detective Michael Mejia said.
State Police Trooper Randy Hall arrested Rowe on two counts of felony burglary and Bailey on two charges of felony burglary, a charge of criminal mischief and one charge of theft. Bonilla was arrested on two charges of felony burglary, one charge of criminal mischief and one charge of felony theft. The arrests were for Weld and New Vineyard burglaries.
Some tobacco products and alcohol were recovered at Rowe’s East Dixfield residence, police said.
State troopers Hall and Keith Barton responded to a burglary report at about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday at Our Village Market in New Vineyard.
Apparently two people used a hammer to break the glass front door and entered the building but were stopped by the store’s alarm system, according to state Trooper Reid Bond.
Jay police officers responded to a break-in at My Dad’s Place about 3:30 a.m. and found someone had entered the store and stolen beer.
At 5:15 a.m., Troopers Andrew Hardy and Bond went to a burglary report at Skoolhouse Variety in Weld. They discovered two people had broken the front glass door with a hammer. Several packs of cigarettes, cans of chewing tobacco, cigars and bottles of liquor were taken.
From store security photos released to the media Wednesday, several tips were received, including one from a person who remembered seeing the men together in a local store the day before, Mejia said. The tip included a description of the vehicle they were using.
Through the tips from the public and law enforcement, Troopers Hardy and Bond were led to the home of Rowe in East Dixfield. After several interviews, the three were arrested and charged, Bond said.
Apparently, Bonilla and Bailey came to Maine and were staying with Rowe while they worked for his mother, who runs a concession stand at local fairs, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Sgt. Chad Abbott of the Wilton Police Department and Detective Ken Charles from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department assisted with the arrest.
The three men were taken to Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington.
abryant@sunmediagroup.net
Send questions/comments to the editors.
