Burglary Suspects in Maine, NH Allegedly Fired a Gun at Witnesses

Witnesses in Maine and New Hampshire say that a group of car burglars allegedly fired shots at them.

The Oxford County Sheriff's Office says the burglaries happened along the Route 5 corridor and spread across Maine and New Hampshire. A group of suspects in a vehicle was stopping at homes along the route, checking to see if the doors to vehicles parked in driveways were unlocked. In the process of the thefts, officials told WGME-TV that two rifles were allegedly stolen out of a pickup truck in Waterford.

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A Lovell woman told authorities that she noticed a vehicle approaching her house at around 3:00 in the morning when she was putting a log in the woodstove. When she saw a group of people get out of the vehicle and head toward her garage, she opened the door and yelled at them to leave. As they ran back to their own vehicle, she says they were shooting a handgun. She assumed they were firing in the air until she realized after they'd left, that there were bullet holes in her house and one in the hinge of the door she was standing behind.

Deputies say other homeowners have had similar experiences, with vehicle burglars firing shots at them. The suspects are reportedly looking for firearms, credit cards, and cash. Residents are advised to take these sorts of items out of their vehicles and keep the vehicles locked at all times, even when they're sitting in the driveway.

Officials say the suspects' vehicle is described as a silver midsize sedan. Anyone who thinks they may have information about the incidents is encouraged to contact the Oxford County Sheriff's Office at 207-743-9554.