CHESTERVILLE – A man wanted in connection with the Feb. 5 break-in at New England Patriots’ player Rob Gronkowski’s house, as well as other alleged crimes in Massachusetts, was arrested Thursday morning on the Chesterville Hill Road by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office personnel after he allegedly tried to force his way into a residence.
According to Sheriff Scott Nichols, Shane Denn, 26, was arrested on the charge of operating a motor vehicle without a license. Denn has also been charged with being a fugitive from justice and providing a false name or address. Additional charges are pending, according to Nichols.
At 7 a.m. Thursday morning, dispatchers took a call regarding suspicious activity on the Chesterville Hill Road. Specifically, a man and a woman were reportedly seen attempting to force their way into a residence.
FCSO Lt. David Rackliffe responded and located a white Ford Fusion with Massachusetts plates turning off of the Chesterville Hill Road. The vehicle was stopped, at which point the man police later identified as Denn provided Rackliffe with a false name and date of birth. Several other officers responded, including Chief Deputy Steven Lowell, Lt. David St. Laurent, Det. Steve Charles, Deputy Derrick Doucette, Deputy Hart Daley and two K-9 units.
The vehicle was searched. Nichols said that “numerous stolen items and evidence of criminal activity were discovered” inside.
Denn was arrested on the operating without a license charge but reportedly admitted to his own identity once he was transported to the Franklin County Detention Center. He was then charged with being a fugitive from justice and providing a false name and address.
Denn is wanted in connection with a number of alleged crimes in Massachusetts. He was one of three men accused of breaking into Patriots’ star Gronkowski’s Foxborough, Mass. home back on Feb. 5, with his co-suspects having previously been arrested and charged. Denn is also suspected in the attempted robbery of a gas station in Andover, Mass. on March 19, crashing a stolen truck in that same town, and driving another truck through a garage door in Wilmington to steal cartons of cigarettes that same day. Tewksbury, Mass. police are also investigating a break-in at a service center that might have involved Denn.
Ya just never know what kind of characters are running around out here in the countryside… Thanks to you guys and gals at the sheriff and police departments for all you do…
His mug shot looks like he is real worried. slap his wrist I say and tell him not to do it again!!!
Another brain surgeon on the loose………
Wow..who would have thought Chesterville Maine would be mentioned in the involvement of Gronks Robbery. Bet he never said Chesterville Maine before this… great job FPD.
Good job, Franklin County deputies!
That would explain all the hubbub I saw on 156 this morning. Good job keeping the community safe, thank you.
There he is
Just goes to show us we aren’t even safe in our own homes in rural Maine. What was he doing up this way? It would be interesting to know if he has relatives or lived here once upon a time. Who was with him? The article doesn’t say except a female was with him trying to break into a home.
What happened to the woman he was with?
YES THEY WILL SLAP HIS WRIST,AND HE WILL GET OUT AND DO IT AGAIN, SADLY.
Good job to the local citizens as well who called it in!!
This area is a popular point of transit into Canada via trails for all manner of…contraband…human or otherwise.
Big Plug for chesterville and Franklin County!
Am I the only one wondering, once you’ve been in Gronk’s house, what’s so tempting in Chesterville, ME??? Good catch for our small town law enforcement!