Rochester transient arrested in laundromat vandalism

Joshua Emery Eaves (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - A Rochester man was arrested on Tuesday after police say he vandalized a city laundromat.

Police got the call around 4:15 a.m. for a man who was damaging items inside the Rochester Laundromat on Signal Street.

When they arrived they found Joshua Emery Eaves, 39, behind some washing machines, and saw that he had broken some wooden boards above the machines. Eaves told officers he was pulling them off to clean the washing machines," Rochester Police Capt. Jason Thomas said today.

However, upon arrival at the scene, the owner of the business said not only was Eaves not working for him, but that he had prohibited Eaves from being on the property only a few days ago.

Eaves, a city transient, was charged with criminal trespass, criminal mischief and contempt.

At the time of the incident he was also out on bail from a Jan. 14 arrest for receiving stolen property charge, which is still pending in Rochester Circuit Court.

Eaves was taken to Strafford County Jail and held on $1,500 cash bail pending his arraignment.