FALMOUTH — Two suspects were arrested on felony charges of assault and robbery after one of them tried to hide in the aisles of the Wal-Mart store on Route 1 after allegedly stealing $10 and a credit card from a Route 1 toy store.
Police said John Martell, 29, of Portland, and Kyra Pardue, 29, of Windham, were arrested at 4:56 p.m. outside the department store after they allegedly tried to rob the nearby Rainbow Toys store, 240 Route 1, on Wednesday, April 15.
According to police, Rainbow Toys owner Juliette Steinbach noticed two customers acting “suspiciously” around 4:30 p.m. When she went to investigate, she found a man later identified as Martell emerging from an employees-only back room. She reportedly confronted him and he pushed past her toward the front door.
A customer in the store saw the struggle between the two and stepped in. She scuffled with the man before he managed to break free and flee the store with a female suspect, Pardue, who police described as “the lookout.”
Martell and Pardue reportedly jumped into a parked car in front of
Staples. The customer noted their license plate number and called
police as the couple took off toward Depot Road.
Police found the car parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot and
arrested Pardue, who was waiting while Martell was in
the store.
“He was roaming through the aisles, even striking up a conversation
with a female shopper, trying to evade us,” Lt. John Kilbride said. Police eventually arrested Martell outside the store.
Besides the assault and robbery charges, Martell was also charged with
operating after license suspension. He and Pardue spent two nights in the Cumberland County Jail
before being released on bail on April 17. The court date for their
indictment has not yet been set.
Steinbach, who was unavailable for comment, was described by her husband, Karl, as “shocked and upset, but generally OK.”
Karl Steinbach said there was very little money in the store. The suspects reportedly made off with $10 and a credit card from Juliette Steinbach’s wallet.
Heather Gunther can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 115 or hgunther@theforecaster.net.
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