Arrest near in Howe & Howe Tech metal theft case

Scene of the destruction from last year's incident. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

WEST LEBANON - An arrest is imminent in last year’s theft of metal from a Lebanon test-site facility off Prospect Hill Road owned by Howe and Howe Technologies.

The Waterboro-based firm develops and fabricates armored vehicle products used by the U.S. Military, utility companies as well as Hollywood filmmakers among others.

Trooper Jon Heimbach of the Maine State Police said today that charges have been forwarded to the county attorneys’ office which has indicated enough evidence has been collected to justify prosecuting the case.

Heimbach would not divulge the suspect’s name, but did say he is not from Lebanon.

He said the charges would likely be misdemeanor theft and criminal mischief.

It was last Dec. 1 that Howe and Howe Tech co-owner Geoffrey Howe became aware of the theft and vandalism when he visited the property to display a robotic ballistic shield suitable for SWAT team use to Maine State Police. 

Heimbach had said at the time that the total amount of loss due to the incident was about $5,000. Damage to the site included pushing a trailer down a hill and destroying an underground bunker.

The test site lies on an 80-acre parcel of land between Prospect Hill Road and the Salmon Falls River.

After the discovery of the theft and vandalism, the acreage was posted with “No Trespassing” signs by Howe and Howe Tech.

The Howe and Howe Technologies website describes it as “a world leader in extreme vehicle fabrication and one of the foremost creators of advanced robotic platform solutions and applications.”

Howe and Howe Tech first drew nationwide attention during its two-year stint on the Discovery Channel several years ago.