Berwick woman on high bail in Hometown Mobil burglary

An image of the cash, gift cards and scratch tickets seized by officers after searching the suspect's car and home; inset Tatiana Gagnon. (State Police photos)

SOUTH LEBANON - A Berwick woman has been arrested in a burglary at Hometown Mobil that police believe netted her thousands of dollars in cash, gift cards and lottery tickets, all stolen from a safe at the Route 202 convenience store.

Tatiana Gagnon, 33, of Berwick, was taken into custody by Maine State Trooper Sgt. Kevin Rooney and Berwick Police Officer Eli Poore Saturday morning after Gagnon led police on a high speed chase that ended with Rooney disabling her car using a precision immobilization technique or PIT stop on Ridlon Road.

Gagnon is also a suspect in several auto thefts in Rochester, Lebanon and Dover.

A search warrant obtained by State Police led to a search of her home and car leading to the seizure of some $1,357 in cash from the vehicle as well as thousands of dollars' worth of scratch tickets and 23 Mobil gift cards. All items are presumed stolen from the safe at the Lebanon Hometown Mobil. Troopers are still working to determine the total estimated loss in merchandise and damage to the building.

The bizarre chain of events began early Saturday when Trooper James MacDonald responded to a burglary alarm at Hometown Mobil around 4 a.m.

A State Police cruiser driven by Sgt. Kevin Rooney was able to end the crash on Ridlon Road.

Upon arrival, it was learned the convenience store had been burglarized by an unknown person smashing the side door and gaining entry. The suspect removed the safe and attempted to run it over with their vehicle in an attempt to open it. The safe was later lodged under the vehicle and subsequently dragged onto North Rochester Road where it became dislodged and abandoned.

Witnesses reported seeing a small blue sedan with New Hampshire plates in the area attempting to run over the safe. Surveillance footage identified the vehicle as a small compact car blue in color with a lone female occupant.

Then at approximately 6:20 a.m., while police were still on scene investigating at Hometown Mobile, MacDonald observed a vehicle fitting the description turn off of Route 202 onto Hubbard Road traveling towards Berwick.

This information was relayed to Rooney who was in the area looking for the vehicle.

Rooney later located the vehicle on Hubbard Road in Berwick where he attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver led police on a high-speed pursuit on Hubbard Road, Gradar Lane, Pine Hill Road and finally Ridlon Road where Rooney executed the P.I.T maneuver ending the chase.

Gagnon was taken into custody by Rooney and Berwick Police Officer Eli Poore who assisted in the pursuit.

The safe was recovered on North Rochester Road in Lebanon.

Gagnon was taken to Southern Maine Health Care in Sanford where she was evaluated and cleared for incarceration at the York County Jail.

She was charged with burglary of the Hometown Mobil. Bail was set at $10,000.

Police also suspect Gagnon is involved in a stolen vehicle incident on Friday after an individual staying at Salmon Falls Campground reported his vehicle was stolen while he was away from his campsite. An individual working at the campground's front gate reported a female walked up to the gate and asked to go into the office so she could use the phone.

The female was later seen walking towards the campground and was last seen driving away in the vehicle that was reported stolen. The stolen vehicle was located off Hubbard Road in Berwick on Saturday.

Anyone with information on the vehicle theft is urged to contact Trooper Mike Lane at 207-657-3030.

All other charges will come by way of indictment through the York County District Attorney's Office, according to State Police.

Gagnon will remain at York County Jail on $10.000 cash bail until she is approved for a full-time residential treatment program, jail booking personnel said today.

The Berwick, Dover and Rochester Police Departments all assisted in Gagnon's arrest.