A Gardiner man was arrested Thursday on burglary charges after he allegedly stole jewelry, a laptop, a Nintendo Wii video game system and other items totaling more than $1,000 in value from a home on High Holborn Street.
After a neighbor reported the alleged burglary around 3:30 p.m., police say they arrested Robert Patrick Loukola, 33, as he left the home through a back window and had the items in two backpacks, according to an affidavit filed at the Capital Judicial Center.
During his initial appearance Friday afternoon at the courthouse, via video feed from the Kennebec County jail, Loukola was charged with burglary and theft by unauthorized taking.
Police went to the home at 134 High Holborn St. after a neighbor reported that a man with two backpacks was walking up the driveway, according to the affidavit filed by Officer David Tims, of the Gardiner Police Department.
After Tims saw Loukola leaving through a back window, he and two other officers — one of them was Chief James Toman — ran around the building and yelled at Loukola to get on the ground, then handcuffed him and took him to the police station, Tims wrote. He was later taken to jail.
Police found the allegedly stolen objects in Loukola’s backpacks, Tims wrote.
During Loukola’s initial court appearance on Friday afternoon, Justice Donald Marden told him he was being charged with burglary, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison; and theft, a class C felony punishable by up to 5 years.
Assistant District Attorney David Spencer said a probation hold is in effect for Loukola on a felony conviction from Sagadahoc County. Loukola, who wore a green jail uniform over a long-sleeved shirt, is on probation from a January 2016 class C theft.
For Loukola’s new charges, Spencer asked for $5,000 cash bail with a Maine Pretrial Services contract, with conditions that include no contact with the person identified as the victim, no use of alcohol or illegal drugs and a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Spencer said Loukola was subjected to previous probation revocations and has prior felony convictions, including a 2007 robbery.
Stephen Bourget, representing Loukola as lawyer of the day, said he wanted to reserve the right to argue for bail. Loukola told the judge he lives in Gardiner and said he would like all the matters sent to Sagadahoc County for resolution.
In the meantime, Loukola remains in jail on the probation hold.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @betadams
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