Thieves Busted Stealing Copper from Wayfarer

To most passers by, the Wayfarer Inn now serves as a sad reminder of a once elegant hotel now boarded up at 121 South River Road.

To four particularly industrious local men, the building, which was last a Quality Inn, served as a virtual copper wire and piping department store. The problem is they weren't paying.

As part of an ongoing investigation, Bedford Police, just before 11 a.m. yesterday, arrested Robert Tolstuk, 35, of Hooksett, and George Sideris, 49, of Goffstown.

Then, at 2:39 p.m., Christopher Jolicoeur, 28, of Londonderry, and Junius Butler, 39, of Manchester, were also arrested and charged in connection with theft.

While three of the suspects were taken into custody without incident, Butler, said police, attempted to resist arrest by fleeing and hiding in the building. He was apprehended a short time later with the assistance of a NH State Police K9.

Tolstuk, Sideris, Jolicoeur and Butler were each charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools and criminal trespassing.

Jolicoeur was also charged with possession of a controlled drug, and Butler received a resisting arrest count on top of the aforementioned charges.

The four men were all held on cash bail and will be arraigned today at Merrimack District Court.

Anyone with any information about the burglaries is encouraged to contact the Bedford Police Department at 472-5113.