WATERVILLE — A city woman accused of breaking into her grandparents house to steal money was arrested early Sunday morning along with an alleged accomplice, according to Waterville police.

Lesli F. Ware, 40, and Clayton A. Turner, 21, both of Crestwood Drive, were arrested on Prospect Street at approximately 12:41 a.m. Sunday. Each was charged with one count of burglary, a class B felony.

According to Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey, a caller reported a suspicious car driving slowly along the street. When police arrived, they found Turner in the car, who told officers that Ware was checking on her grandparents’ house because she was concerned there had been a break-in, Rumsey said.

Police found Ware inside the Prospect Street home with money she allegedly took from the home. Windowpanes on an exterior door into the garage and a second interior door leading into the home were broken and the doors were unlocked, Rumsey said.

Police believe that Ware targeted the residence because she knew her grandparents were gone for the weekend, Rumsey said. The homeowners were out of town but spoke to investigators over the phone and were cooperative, he said. He did not know how much money Ware had when officers found her.

Ware, in an interview Monday, denied wrongdoing and said the situation was a misunderstanding with police, that she had come upon the house already broken into. Ware’s mother told police that $600 to $800 was missing from the home, Ware said. Ware said she only had $250 on her when police found her, and that the money was from her paycheck.

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Waterville police late Monday afternoon could not confirm how much money was allegedly found on Ware, but Rumsey said police stand by the charge against her.

“We conducted an investigation, and based on that investigation we felt that we had probable cause to charge her with burglary,” Rumsey said. “We are quite confident that the money found on her person was from the home.”

Ware and Turner both posted bail with $500 cash at the Waterville Police Department and were not taken to Kennebec County jail, Rumsey said.

A class B charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Ware and Turner have a March 14 court date scheduled at Kennebec County Superior Court in Augusta.


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