Police recover stolen car

    Robert Helstrom, 29, of Presque Isle, will appear for his trial on Friday in Presque Isle District Court to face charges stemming from a car theft in January.
“Early the morning of Jan. 21, sheriff’s deputies came into contact with a vehicle that had been stolen the day before in Presque Isle. Sheriff’s Lt. Ross McQuade approached the vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store in Mars Hill, and the two occupants, at about 7:20 a.m. The man and woman in the car fled on foot, but the female passenger was promptly caught and taken into custody,” said Sheriff Darrell Crandall, of the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Crandall, several additional deputies responded to assist, as did a state trooper and Limestone Police Chief Stacey Mahan. All were in the area at the time, making response possible. Presque Isle police also sent their K-9 unit to the area in case it was needed.
“People living in the area of Silver Street saw the male suspect running behind their homes and reported his location, by phone, to sheriff’s dispatchers in Houlton. Using that information, deputies narrowed their search to the north end of Silver Street and found Helstrom hiding behind a home,” said Crandall.
Helstrom, who was on probation for domestic assault, was taken into custody without further incident. The female, who was uncooperative and combative, refused to identify herself.
“However, once she was at the jail, corrections staff had no trouble identifying 24-year-old Trishia Willette of Presque Isle. She had just been released from the jail on Jan. 9, where she’d been held on a probation violation. A passport, check and other items that were possibly stolen were taken from her at the jail as well,” said Crandall.
The pair were charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
“Deputies turned the recovered 1996 Geo Prism over to the PIPD for processing and it was eventually returned to its owner,” said Crandall.
The vehicle had been reported stolen from a church parking lot in Presque Isle. It was later determined by the PIPD that the car was the same one involved in the Mars Hill incident. Around the same time, the PIPD was investigating several car burglaries in the city. Willette was found to be in possession of items stolen during those burglaries. Subsequently, Willette was charged with two counts of burglary of a motor vehicle.
Willette is scheduled to appear March 17 in Caribou Superior Court.
Crandall credited the public’s help with bringing this case to a close.
“I want to thank the people of Mars Hill for being aware of their surroundings and being willing to pick up their phones and let us know what they were seeing. It made this pursuit far less time consuming and safer for all involved. We have come to expect this kind of cooperation and assistance from our neighbors here in Aroostook County, and we place great value on that relationship,” said Crandall.