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Adam Powell, 19, of Lewiston, was charged with third-degree larceny and risk of injury to a child. He was held on $250 bond and will appear in court Nov. 17.
Employees of the Garden Center on Post Road called police Thursday afternoon when they saw a GMC Sierra pickup truck pull into the parking lot. They told police that three teens, later identified as Powell, a 16-year-old male and a 13-year-old female, get out the truck and begin walking down Post Road.
While offices were on their way, they were informed that the truck had been reported stolen from North Haven, police said.
While officers were talking to employees, another employee arrived and said they had seen the teens near the Dunkin' Donuts on Post Road. Officers went to the Dunkin' Donuts and found all three inside.
Officers interviewed the three and learned that Powell and the 16-year-old are step-cousins who live together with an adult guardian in Maine, police said. The girl is not related to them and also lives in Maine, according to police.
The 16-year-old told police that Powell came up with a plan to head south, and took the keys to a car belonging to an aunt who lives with them, police said. They picked up the girl and drove south on the highway until they reached Connecticut, where their car ran out of gas, police said.
They left that car in a driveway in North Haven and started walking around, police said. They slept outside overnight, then the next day found a truck with the keys in the ignition outside a auto body shop, police said. Powell took the truck and the three began driving again, police said.
They pulled off the highway in Darien when that truck ran out of gas, and left it in the lot of Garden Center, police said.
They began walking, and told officers that they were waiting in the parking lot of Dunkin' Donuts for somebody to leave their car running so they could steal it, police said. Police said it is common for people to leave their cars running while they run in to grab coffee.
The 13-year-old girl was released to her parents, who came down to pick her up. The 16-year-old was released to the custody of his grandmother, who refused to post bond for Powell.
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