Alleged robber on lam
By CRAIG CROSBY
Staff Writer
FREEDOM -- Frank Morello figured he would be a good neighbor and offer to lend a hand when he looked down Goosepecker Ridge Road and saw a young man using a four-wheeler to pull a pickup truck from a ditch.
Morello got the shock of his life, however, when he got close enough to see that the four-wheeler, and the coins and jewelry scattered in the back of the pickup, were all his own.
"I went to call the cops and I saw he trashed my house," Morello said.
The Thursday encounter kicked off an intense eight-hour manhunt that involved the State Police Tactical team, the Maine Warden Service, and the Waldo County Sheriff's Department. Police believe the young man was Derek Creasy, 25, of Knox. Creasy is believed to have stolen guns, coins and the all-terrain vehicle from Morello's home before fleeing on foot to a Halldale Road home, where he allegedly rummaged through the house for valuables and stole another four-wheeler, according to police.
Creasy, who police say ditched the second stolen four-wheeler when confronted by citizens on Route 220 in Montville, was still on the loose Friday afternoon.
Morello was returning home for lunch around 1:30 p.m. when he saw the four-wheeler in the road and the young man talking on a cell phone. When confronted by Morello, Creasy said he had borrowed the four-wheeler from a homeowner at the end of the nearby driveway. The driveway happened to be Morello's.
Morello, who at that point did not know Creasy had allegedly broken into his home, told Creasy to wait while Morello went to the house to call the police.
"I hurried back and he was gone," Morello said. "I would have shot (him)."
Creasy fled on foot, leaving behind the pickup and most of Morello's guns, jewelry, and a stash of collectible coins worth about $1,000, Morello said.
"Most of the stuff was in the back of the truck," Morello said.
A loaded .22-caliber handgun is still missing, however.
Police searched the woods around the area of Route 220 -- where the second stolen four-wheeler was found -- until 11 p.m., according to Lt. Gerard Madden of the Maine State Police. Police obtained a warrant for Creasy's arrest on Friday and continued to search for him in the area.
It is the second time this year police have accused Creasy of robbery. He was free on bail after being arrested by Trooper Dan Webber in March and charged with stealing more than $1,000 from seven vehicles in Unity, Madden said.
Police believe Creasy still has at least one gun. Members of the public are urged to stay away from Creasy, but anyone with information is urged to call state police at (800) 452-4664.
Morello said it is going to take time and money to get things back to normal. The four-wheeler runs poorly now and his homeowners' insurance will not cover repairs. A door on the house was broken, Morello said, and repairs will eat up most of the $500 deductible. Morello said he and his wife spent about five hours cleaning up the mess left behind.
"He dumped every drawer and cabinet," Morello said. "He was looking for money hard.
"I guess it could have been a lot worse. How else can you look at it?"
Seed Newsvine
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