Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Police continue to look for the person or persons responsible for stealing a pickup from a Presque Isle residence in July.
On July 17, the Presque Isle Police Department received a call reporting an older model Ford truck had been stolen. The vehicle was recovered by early evening, half hidden in some trees along a dirt road off the Doyle Road in Caribou.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
OFFICER KEVIN SCHUMACHER and the PIPD’s K-9, Hunter, begin a track at the location a stolen truck was recovered just off the Doyen Road in Caribou. The vehicle had been reported stolen the morning of July 17 and was located around suppertime. Pictured watching the tracking team are Jonathan Dixon, the truck’s owner, at left, and Sgt. Joey Seeley, of the PIPD.
“I reported the truck missing around 6:30 a.m.,” said the truck’s owner, Jonathan Dixon.
Dixon said he had left the truck at his father’s home, with the intention of working with his father to repair the vehicle.
“I’d left the truck at my dad’s. We pulled it out of the garage because we’d been working on it. We apparently left the keys in it,” said Dixon.
Dixon said he was glad to have the truck back – not because it was of any great monetary value but because of the sentimental value of it.
“It’s good to get it back. It wasn’t worth a great deal, from a monetary perspective, since it’s an older model. It’s value was sentimental. It used to belong to a high school friend of mine. He passed away several years ago. Since then, I purchased it with the intent of restoring it. I brought it to my father’s for that purpose,” said Dixon.
When police recovered the truck, there was little to no damage but the owner indicated the stereo was missing.
“The only thing that seemed to be missing when it was found is the stereo. I had parts in the front for repairing it (the truck). Whoever took her – they weren’t interested in parts,” said Dixon.
Police credit an alert passerby for spotting the vehicle and notifying the authorities.
“It was a passerby who called us reporting a vehicle half hidden in the woods. When I arrived around 6:30 p.m., I discovered it was the pickup we’d been looking for all day,” said Sgt. Joey Seeley, of the PIPD.
Officer Kevin Schumacher was called in with the PIPD’s tracking K-9, Hunter. A search of the area turned up little evidence.
“Officer Schumacher followed a scent trail from the vehicle to a nearby field. He followed the trail to the Doyle Road before losing the scent,” said Seeley.
Police have yet to identify the person(s) responsible for the theft. Anyone with information on this or any crime is asked to contact 764-4476. Or call Crimestoppers at 800-638-8477 (800-638-TIPS). You do not have to give your name and may be eligible for a reward.
Dixon said he still plans to fix the pickup, regardless of its condition.
“It’s insured. I told the insurance company I planned to fix any damage it might have, because of its sentimental value. It means a lot to me because it was my friend’s,” said Dixon.
