Ossipee — May 5, 2010 — A band of amateur thieves robbed three Ossipee Lake boat storage facilities over the winter, making off with $50,000 in high-end marine equipment, police said.
Ossipee Lt. James Eldridge said four suspects arrested last week didn’t even try to fence the goods, including stereos and flat-screen TVs worth as much as $1,700 apiece. They just gave the items away to friends, he said.
“They weren’t professional,” he said, noting audio-visual cables were crudely hacked off and that they siphoned gas out of boats for their cars. “They really don’t have criminal records. It just shows you what kids are capable of doing these days.”
Arrested on April 27 were alleged ringleader, Alan Harris, 19, of Center Ossipee, and alleged accomplices Dana Davis, 19, of Alton Bay, Robert Wright, 23, of Ossipee, and Benjamin Duquette, 20, of Ossipee.
The goods, including waterproof amplifiers and speakers specially built to function on open water, were stolen from boats warehoused at Ward’s Boat Shop, Camp Sokokis and the Lakefront Landing Marina, police said.
All four men are charged with felony burglary and receiving stolen property. Harris and Davis face additional misdemeanor charges, including theft.
Eldridge said “good old-fashioned police work” was spearheaded by department prosecutor, Bob King.
“He put in a lot of time and effort. It was the whole department that helped solve it,” Eldridge said.
He said the marinas have been hit before and that such robberies seem to come in cycles. He urged anyone who has information about other boat thefts to call police at (603) 539-2011.
This is exactly the kind of activity that promotes the ‘us and them’ mentality that locals have. The waterfront owners provide most of the town budgets dollars and the locals know it and resent it. It also is very disappointing to know that this goes on in a town I have considered to be relatively free of this criminal activity. I hope that the judge they go before makes them an example. But then again, if he considers himself a ‘local’ maybe they will all just get a slap on the wrist. We will see.
To the credit of the new Chief of Police in Ossipee, this is positive that his department has in fact arrested four people connected to these crimes. Congratulations to the Ossipee PD under the direction of Chief Donald Grow, you have been able to solve this crime. For the past 20 years Crime in Ossipee has been left unchecked.
Good job!!! This is Ossipee PD at its finest…… having been in the Ossipee area for 50 years
I am glad to see our tax dollars at work…. again good work Don to you and your dept.