FARMINGTON — Two men face multiple charges, police said, after they broke into three homes Monday afternoon, stealing handguns, electronics and other items before getting arrested while trying to run from police.

The crime spree spanned three hours, ending after police found a stolen car abandoned in a field near Knowlton Corner Farm in Farmington about 7:30 p.m., said Chief Jack Peck, citing police reports.

As a police dog started searching around the car, Kevin S. Crandall and Marcus A. Thompson ran out of the nearby woods and were chased down on foot and arrested, Peck said.

Police believe the men started their spree by breaking into a home in the Hilltop Estates neighborhood off Knowlton Corner Road, where the owner returned to find $180 in cash, credit cards and a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun missing, Peck said.

A neighbor reported seeing three men driving off in a blue Ford Taurus sedan around the time of the theft, some time before 4:30 p.m., he said.

At 6:20 p.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to another break-in at a Dutch Gap Road home in Chesterville, with the homeowner reporting that some cash and a semi-automatic handgun were stolen, Peck said.

Another break-in was reported an hour later at a Lucy Knowles Road home in Farmington, which is near the other two homes. A .357-caliber handgun, digital cameras, a video game system, and other electronics had been stolen from that home, he said.

Peck didn’t know whether ammunition was taken along with the handguns. He said the Ford Taurus left in the field also had been reported stolen, and police were investigating Tuesday to see whether further charges are warranted.

Thompson, 26, of Farmington, and Crandall, 27, of Wilton, were each charged with three counts of burglary and theft, Peck said. Crandall also was charged with violating conditions of release, and both men remained in Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington on Tuesday morning, according to jail records. Details about their court date were unavailable.

Police are looking for the third man described by the neighbor, Peck said Tuesday. All of the stolen items were recovered. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation.

David Robinson — 861-9287

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