Stolen car suspect arrested in Dec. for stealing beer truck

Nicole Dyment (Police mug shot)

SANFORD, Maine - Police say the woman a Sanford officer brought to the stationhouse to warm up during Sunday's freezing temperatures who later stole a car from a nearby Chinese restaurant is the same woman who stole a beer truck in December.

The bizarre sequence of events in this latest alleged vehicle theft began to unfold around 6:45 p.m. Saturday when Sanford Police Officer Andrew Simmons responded to the Green Tea Restaurant at 1005 Main St. for a reported stolen car. It was determined a patron had his vehicle stolen when he left it unlocked and running while he went inside to pick up an order.

Simmons reviewed the surveillance video and determined an unknown female had stolen the vehicle, however, another officer who had given a woman a ride to the police station to warm up a couple of hours earlier also watched the video and recognized the alleged thief as the same person he had given a ride to.

Police say Nicole Dyment crashed a stolen beer truck into this Limerick barn in Decembee after leading police on a chase. (Courtesy photo)

The suspect was identified as Nicole Dyment, Age 19, of Canton, the same woman who allegedly stole a beer truck from a Portland convenience store and crashed it into a Limerick barn in early December after leading police on a high speed chase.

Dyment along with the vehicle from Sanford were located Monday at an apartment complex in Lewiston by members of the Lewiston Police Department who arrested her after a short investigation.

She was charged with theft by unauthorized taking, failure to give correct name/address and violation of conditional release.

The vehicle was returned to its rightful owner.

Dyment was out on bail in connection with the alleged beer truck theft at the time of her arrest.

The Sanford Police Department took the opportunity to remind the public not to leave their vehicles running and unattended, and to lock their vehicles at all times.