Maine Man Allegedly Tried to Steal a Car As Its Owner Pumped Gas

A Maine man is accused of trying to steal a car as its owner was pumping gas.

Maine Man Allegedly Tried to Steal a Car at a Gas Station

Alaric Rowe, 38, of South Portland was issued a criminal summons for reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, theft by unauthorized taking, and robbery.

READ MORE: The Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Maine

It's not unusual to hear of people trying to open doors of vehicles while they're being filled at the gas pump to steal items, but this alleged incident took that crime to a whole new level.

Maine Man Allegedly Tried to Steal a Car While Owner Was Pumping Gas

Portland Police say they were called to the gas station at 1196 Congress Street at approximately 5 pm for a report of an assault. When they arrived, they found one man restraining another near a vehicle that had crashed.

Witnesses told the police that the owner of a vehicle was pumping gas when the suspect, later identified as Rowe, got into the vehicle and tried to drive away.

Maine Man Captured by Owner After Allegedly Trying to Steal a Car

Officials say the vehicle's owner then jumped onto the suspect as the vehicle crashed into some nearby bushes. When the police arrived on the scene, they saw the vehicle's owner restraining the suspect, who was then taken into custody.

WGME-TV reports Rowe was taken to the Cumberland County Jail, but was denied entry because of a pre-existing medical issue. He was then admitted to Maine Medical Center.

We'll update this story as more details become available.