Man Accused Of Stealing Purse And Using Keys To Enter Woman’s House

A Rockport man is accused of stealing a woman's purse while she was shopping, and later using her stolen keys to enter her home overnight.

Rockland Police are thanking the public for their help identifying an 18-year-old whose picture was released in connection with a purse snatching that allegedly led to another crime. Investigators say that a woman reported to police that her purse was stolen from her cart while she was shopping at Hannaford in Rockland on Sunday, July 31st. The woman's pocketbook included her identification and her keys.

The next morning, that same woman discovered that someone had entered her home overnight, while she and her family were sleeping, and stole some items. The house was locked but there was no sign of forced entry, which led police to believe that it was the purse snatcher, who used her identification to find the residence and her keys to get in.

Police released a surveillance video image of a young man carrying the purse from Hannaford. The public responded with tips that led police to Owen Hebert of Rockport. He's charged with theft and burglary and is expected to make his first court appearance next month.

Rockland Police Chief Bruce Boucher talked in a Facebook post about the cooperation between Hannaford and the public in identifying Hebert. "The police and community working hand-in-hand is ideal, and that is what makes this such a great place to live."