Man with Knives Tried to Knock Down Statue of St. Mary: Cops

SALEM, NH - A local man was arrested on Friday night on various charges after police were sent to a Salem church for a report of suspicious activity.

Stephen Blaine, 26, of Candia, was arrested on June 3, 2016, and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and unlawful activities-littering.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Salem Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

According to police, officers were sent to St. Joseph’s Church on Main Street for a report of a man attempting to knock over a statue of St. Mary. Other callers also alleged that the same man had been walking in the middle of the street talking to himself, according to Capt. Joel Dolan of the Salem Police Department.

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“Officers located the male a short distance away on Main Street,” Dolan noted. “Upon talking to the male, he indicated he was carrying a knife on his person. He then abruptly spun around and fled on foot.”

While reportedly running, the man began dropped knives from his pockets; three of them were found. The man was captured not far from the area reportedly attempting to run into the woods.

The man – Blaine – was arrested, processed, and released on personal recognizance bail. He’s due in Salem District Court on July 18.

Dolan noted that a follow-up investigation found no damage to the statue or any church property, according to a press statement.