A Maine woman claims doing a good deed made her the suspect of a crime when police in Sanford, Maine, released surveillance images of her taking a package off of a porch.
Police said a man on Whichers Mill Road recorded the woman taking a package from his home last Friday. He made a complaint to police, and the department posted the photos on its Facebook page.
The reaction on social media was swift, and the woman turned herself into police the following morning. She confessed — but clarified that she thought she was helping an elderly man on the side of the road.
She said the man flagged her down, was out of breath, and asked for help getting a package on a nearby porch. She said if the package was stolen, she was the victim of a scam.
“You never really know who is telling the truth until the truth presents itself,” said Corporal Matthew Gagne, of the Sanford Police Department.
Gagne said the woman could still be a suspect in the case, but police are looking for more information about the elderly man she described: someone around 60 years old with facial hair, using a walker or a cane.
“There are a couple lessons that can be gleaned from this,” said Gagne.
Maine
The latest news from around the state
He advised anyone ordering a package online to require a signature for delivery, and recommended skepticism and caution if someone asks you to do anything that involves another person’s property.
“You have to be mindful,” he said. “Not only could you become a part of an elaborate scam that they’re planning, but you also put yourself at risk.”
