RUMFORD — A 33-year-old Mexico woman was arrested Thursday, charged with threatening Dunkin’ employees with a gun, according to Rumford police.
Rebecca Sims Rumford Police photo
Rebecca Sims, 33, of 103 Granite St. was arrested at her home Wednesday night and charged with felony criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and threatening display of a weapon. Bail was set at $1,000 cash and she was taken to the Oxford County Jail in Paris and later transferred to the York County Jail, police said.
Rumford police Officer Kier Simmons and Cpl. Brad Gallant responded to the Dunkin’ shop at 158 Congress St. shortly before 8 p.m. for a report of a woman with a gun threatening an employee, police said. She walked up to the drive-thru window at closing time and pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the employee after she was denied a request to use the telephone.
According to police, employees gave a description of the woman and a photo taken by an employee’s cellphone. Rumford and Mexico police and Oxford County Sheriff’s Office deputies searched the immediate area without success. After reviewing footage from a nearby security camera system and sharing additional video of the assailant with law enforcement, off-duty Mexico police Lt. Derek MacDonald recognized Sims.
Officers set up surveillance at her residence overnight while search and arrest warrants were drafted and approved, and with the assistance of the Maine State Police Tactical Team, she was taken into custody without incident shortly before noon Thursday.
Rumford and Mexico police seized three pistols and a shotgun, along with a machete, hatchet, bowie knife and multiple loaded magazines at the home, police said.
“This is a fine example of the community and police working together to help apprehend someone who posed a threat to public safety,” Rumford police Chief Tony Milligan said. “Although traumatized by the incident, the employees’ quick actions likely prevented anyone from getting hurt or killed — and the cooperation of the provider of security video footage taken at a nearby establishment made it possible to quickly identify the suspect.”
He said the collaboration among Rumford and Mexico police, the Sheriff’s Office and state police “made it possible to take the suspect into custody quickly and without injury to the suspect, the public or to the officers. This was good team work all around.”
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