CALAIS - Three men have been accused of stealing computer equipment valued at more than $10,000 from Washington County Technical College, and the items were recovered at the University of Maine in Orono. Police said Wednesday that the Calais department's K-9 unit tracked a scent from the site of the break-in to a dorm at the technical college, and later three WCTC students were arrested and charged with burglary and theft at the campus computer lab. Charged are: Justin Yates, 20, of Rumford, Alexander Kaznica, 19, of Adams Run, Del., and Richard Powell, 19, of Peru. Powell was released on $250 bail. Kaznica remained in the Washington County jail Wednesday. He is expected to appear in court this week. His bail was set at $750. University of Maine police in Orono summoned Yates. Around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, police found that someone had broken into the computer lab in the main administration and classroom building on Route 1. One hundred pieces of computer equipment valued at more than $10,000 were taken, Police Chief Michael Milburn said. Milburn said the three are believed to be acquaintances and are students at the technical college. Chris Donahue of the Calais Police Department and his dog Major followed the scent from the break-in to the dormitories located just above the main building. While they were investigating the burglary, police received a telephone call from agent Ralph Bridges of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency in Bangor. Bridges said he had received information that a person on the technical college campus may be involved in the break-in. Bridges and a detective from the University of Maine discovered the computer equipment at the Orono campus. The chief said it appears that all of the computer equipment has been recovered. David Sousa, WCTC dean of students, said Wednesday that the three students will be dismissed from the college. "The computer technology students had work on the hard drive and lost a significant amount of work at a critical point in the semester, obviously dismaying for them because of the amount of effort and energy they put into their projects," Sousa said. "The college will be working with those students and make accommodations given the nature of the circumstances." Sousa praised the Calais Police Department. "They solved this case in about 10 hours, which was phenomenal," he said. BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY DIANA GRAETTINGER Alexander Kaznica (right), 19, of Adams Run, Del., is escorted to a police cruiser Wednesday by Sgt. David Randall of the Calais Police Department and Cpl. Chris Gardner of the Washington County Sheriff's Department. Kaznica and two other men allegedly stole more than $10,000 in computer equipment from the Washington County Technical College.
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