AUGUSTA — A city man wanted for allegedly breaking into a store with his uncle on Christmas Eve to take cigarettes and liquor turned himself in to police Friday morning.

Justin Murphy, 27, of Augusta, was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief in connection with the smash-and-grab at Damon’s Beverage Barn. His uncle, 45-year-old Anthony Murphy, was arrested Tuesday on the same charges and both had outstanding warrants for their arrests.

Justin Murphy walked into the Augusta Police Department to turn himself in after 11 a.m. on Friday, said Augusta Police Lt. Christopher Massey, who called Murphy “cooperative.” Massey said he was held at the Kennebec County jail on $20,000 bail.

A court affidavit filed earlier this week by Augusta police Detective Christopher Blodgett said the break-in was reported by the business owner, Donald Damon, on Christmas Day. Police reviewed security footage, which Blodgett said shows one man breaking into the store, taking cigarettes and liquor bottles and leaving. He said another man, apparently acting as a lookout, also was caught on camera.

Police said footage from earlier in the day showed both men coming into the store to buy liquor, and that’s how the Murphys were identified. When police responded to the Fowler Street area, they found discarded bottles of Dr. McGillicuddy’s root beer schnapps, Jim Beam whiskey and Absolut vodka, according to Blodgett, who said bottles of rum and vodka were missing.

Blodgett said that when Anthony Murphy was arrested, he told police the burglary wasn’t planned and that he was surprised when his nephew broke into the store. The elder Murphy allegedly told police that the two took the stolen pints of rum and vodka and drank them at their home at 23 Fowler St., the affidavit says.

Both Murphys have criminal records. Anthony Murphy was on probation for a 2008 arson in which he set fire to a woman’s car in Augusta to enable someone to collect insurance and also was convicted of burglarizing Industrial Metal Roofing in Augusta to steal copper tubing in 2006. Justin Murphy had a warrant out for unpaid fines relating to a prior criminal mischief charge.


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