Three individuals broke into a Punkintown Road home early Saturday, Nov. 29, assaulted the residents and then fled the scene. Within minutes of South Berwick police arriving, the assailants were found and detained.
The York County district attorney’s office is now deciding whether to charge the individuals, according to South Berwick Officer Jeff Pelkey.
Local police were dispatched to the scene of a burglary in process at about 2:15 a.m., according to Pelkey. The two victims were sound asleep when a male and two female suspects invaded their home.
“They really were a trio of nitwits,” Pelkey said. “Imagine the audacity to break in while there are still people there.” Most burglaries occur while no one is home, he added.
While enroute to the scene, Pelkey was notified by dispatch that three individuals were involved in the assault, and he immediately requested backup from surrounding police agencies.
The assailants fled the scene just before Pelkey and the other officers arrived. After checking the condition of the residents, officers located the getaway vehicle and detained the suspects. Police later learned the suspects were known to the victims and determined the break-in was not a random event.
The male and female victims had minor injuries that Pelkey described as “bruising and grip marks.” No weapons were found at the site after the incident.
Pelkey said the names of the victims and suspects are being withheld pending charging decisions by the district attorney’s office in Biddeford, a process that could take a few days to a week. Details related to the content of the burglary are also being withheld while the investigation continues.
Pelkey thanked the Eliot and Kittery Police Departments and the Maine State Police for their “breakneck” response and assistance on the call.
