AUGUSTA — A city man already accused of a break-in last week at a state trooper’s home in West Gardiner has been accused of five burglaries on Augusta’s east side and could have more charges coming.
Dustin Woodworth, 29, of Augusta, was charged Thursday with five counts of burglary and five counts of theft by unauthorized taking in connection with burglaries in the city, according to court documents filed on Friday.
Woodworth has been held at the Kennebec County jail since Sunday, when he was arrested and charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief after the state police said he broke into Trooper Tim Black’s garage and stole a kayak, ammunition and other items. Two others were charged in that burglary, and police said the three were trying to get money to buy drugs.
In Augusta, Woodworth is charged with five burglaries since January that happened at four homes on Cedar and Crooker streets and Second Avenue and a vacant property on Penley Street, according to an affidavit from Detective Christopher Blodgett, of the Augusta Police Department. Copper piping, guns, lawn equipment, kitchen appliances and tools were stolen in the burglaries, Blodgett said, and he reported that Woodworth admitted to spray-painting basement windows black to avoid detection and stealing copper to sell at pawn shops for cash.
After the Maine State Police seized Woodworth’s phone, Blodgett said pictures were found on it showing merchandise that had been stolen in Augusta. He said Ian Jones, 27, of Farmingdale, who was charged in connection with the West Gardiner robbery, said Woodworth often sold the items online for cash. The West Gardiner robbery was solved after police found the kayak on offered for sale Craigslist, according to state police.
On Friday, Sgt. Christian Behr, of the Augusta Police Department, said more information will be released when city and state police complete their ongoing investigation into Woodworth’s activities and more charges are possible. He was being held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail on Friday ahead of a court appearance.
Michael Shepherd — 370-7652
Twitter: @mikeshepherdme
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