HOULTON, Maine — Local police are crediting the swift actions of the Maine State Police K-9 unit for helping apprehend a Westbrook man sought in connection to a trio of burglaries in downtown Houlton early Friday morning.
Craig D. Miller, 34, was arrested without incident around 7:20 a.m. when he was found hiding inside the Bates Fuel office at 6 Market Square.
According to Det. Kris Calaman of the Houlton Police Department, Miller allegedly broke into the Cary Library at 4:40 a.m. by using a landscaping log to smash in a rear door window to the building at 107 Main St. In the process of breaking that window, Miller suffered a cut on his left hand and left a trail of blood both outside and inside the library.
Upon entering the library, the building’s motion-detecting security alarm went off, and Miller fled the scene, Calaman said.
Librarian Linda Faucher said Friday that a trail of blood was found inside the library, but no items were believed to be missing.
Houlton police contacted the Maine State Police, and Sgt. Chad Fuller, with his K-9 partner Gleni, were dispatched to assist in tracking the suspect. Members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Border Patrol assisted in the search.
While searching for the subject, the owner of the Aroostook Print Shop, located on 10 Bangor St., called police to report that business had been broken into. A large rock was used to smash a rear door and access to the building was gained.
Calaman said an undisclosed amount of cash was taken from the property.
Miller, a former resident of Houlton with a criminal record and two outstanding warrants for his arrest, was charged with aggravated criminal mischief, burglary, theft and violating the conditions of his release.
He was taken to Houlton Regional Hospital for treatment of a hand injury and later taken to the Aroostook Count Jail. He was arraigned Monday, with bail set at $2,000 cash. As of Tuesday morning, he remained at the jail.
“Maine State Police K-9 Gleni did an awesome job in helping us locate this subject,” Calaman said.
Sgt. Charles Wampler and officers Steve Nason and Gary McGuire assisted with the investigation.
