Three charged with stealing dirt bike thought to be part of larger theft ring

DOVER - Police believe three Massachusetts residents arrested Wednesday in connection with a police pursuit from Berwick, Maine, to Dover are part of a massive dirt bike theft ring that has been targeting both states.

Safety officials said the pursuit began around 7 a.m. in Berwick when a woman called police to report her son's dirt bike was being stolen and that the thieves were getting into a white box truck.

Berwick police, who were told the vehicle matched the description of one involved in the theft of two ATVs and a dirt bike in Sanford, Maine, followed the truck to the New Hampshire border where New Hampshire State Police continued the chase down Route 16.

State Police set spike strips at the Dover tolls that took out all four tires, according to State Police.

The vehicle then continued off the highway on Exit 6 and continued on to Dover Point Road where three people - two men and a juvenile from Lawrence, Mass. - abandoned the vehicle and fled across the General Sullivan Bridge, where they were taken into custody.

Jason Medina-Siri, 22, and Felix Ovalles-Pena, 19, were charged with receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and criminal trespass. Medina-Siri, who was driving the box truck, was also charged with disobeying a police officer.

New Hampshire State Police believe the three arrested are part of a ring that broke into Nault's Powersports locations in Manchester in an attempt to steal motorcycles.

Nault's Powersports reported that 11 bikes were stolen from their Windham location in recent months.