Exeter police: Kittery man stole two vehicles, arrested twice in one day in two towns
EXETER — A Kittery, Maine, man is facing several charges from multiple agencies after he allegedly stole two vehicles in Exeter on Tuesday and at one point struggled with the owner of a pickup truck in a local parking lot before fleeing.
Seth St. Laurent, 31, with a last known address in Kittery, was arrested by Hampton police at approximately 12:50 p.m. after he was stopped on Route 1 while driving a black Ford F150 pickup truck that was reported stolen in Exeter.
The arrest followed a series of encounters with police that began around 9:30 a.m., when the North Hampton Police Department arrested St. Laurent on a driving while intoxicated charge. He was also suspected of driving a sedan reported stolen from Graham Tire & Auto on Portsmouth Avenue in Exeter in the early morning hours.
St. Laurent was processed on the DWI charge and brought to the Rockingham County jail, where he was held in protective custody and later released.
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Shortly after his release, at 12:34 p.m., Exeter police said they received a report of an unarmed robbery of a vehicle in the parking lot outside Nadeau’s Subs on Portsmouth Avenue.
Exeter police responded, stating they learned the owner of the F150 pickup truck had discovered St. Laurent inside his vehicle and confronted him. Following an altercation, which resulted in no injuries, St. Laurent allegedly fled in the truck and was last seen heading south on Portsmouth Avenue, police said. While officers began searching the area, Hampton Falls police reported they had spotted the pickup truck heading toward Hampton and attempted to stop it.
St. Laurent was stopped on Route 1 by Hampton police at approximately 12:50 p.m.
Hampton police charged St. Laurent with receiving stolen property, a felony, and disobeying an officer, resisting arrest, breach of bail, and operating without a valid license — all misdemeanors.
During the investigation, Exeter police learned St. Laurent had been dropped off in a dark van in the parking lot of Rite Aid Tuesday morning, shortly after having been brought to the jail by North Hampton police. He is also suspected of stealing items from the store before he allegedly stole the pickup truck outside Nadeau’s Subs.
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Exeter police said they plan to charge St. Laurent with felony-level unarmed robbery and reckless conduct along with attempted unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and theft, all misdemeanors.
“We appreciate the rapid response from our surrounding police agencies who moved quickly to apprehend the suspect before any further incidents could have threatened public safety,” Exeter Police Chief Stephan Poulin said.
St. Laurent is scheduled to be arraigned on the Hampton charges on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Rockingham County Superior Court.
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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter NH police: Kittery ME man stole two vehicles, arrested twice
