Sneaky Parking Lot Behavior Leads to Charges in Southeast for New Hampshire Man

SOUTHEAST, NY — Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of a New Hampshire man on charges of larceny and drug possession. Deputy Sheriff Christopher Tompkins was dispatched by 911 at 11:25 a.m. Oct. 31 to a report of two suspicious men in the parking lot of the Home Depot Store in Southeast.

The men were reported to be walking around the parking lot and looking into vehicles. When the deputy got there, he saw the two subjects seated in a parked vehicle. He investigated.

One of the men was identified as Dustin P. Averill, 22, of 4 Avon Road, Concord, NH, who police discovered was the subject of an active arrest warrant for larceny in his hometown.

Police allege that further investigation revealed Averill was in possession of an item of stolen property from the Home Depot store. He was charged with Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor, after a store employee identified the property and indicated that he wished to file criminal charges.

The deputy also alleges that Averill was in possession of an illegal drug. A charge of Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a misdemeanor, was added.

After arraignment, he was committed to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1,500 cash bail pending a future court appearance, police said.

Crimes in New Hampshire

Averill is no stranger to police in New Hampshire where he has been arrested numerous times during the past five or six years.

In December 2011, he and others were charged after a stabbing incident in the state’s capital city. They were later indicted on charges with Averill being indicted on felony riot and simple assault charges.

In December 2014, he was arrested on simple assault, resisting arrest or detention, and unlawful possession of alcohol charges after allegedly assaulting a police officer. In May 2015, he was arrested on a bench warrant after police were sent to a local hospital for a suspicious person who had just overdosed and was picking a fight outside of the emergency room, according to a report. The warrant was for nonappearance in court.

In July of that year, he was arrested on warrants for simple assault and receiving stolen property.

Averill was charged with two counts of theft in January of this year after alleged incidents in December 2015 and January 2016 at stores in Concord. He was being held in jail at the time on another charge when he was arrested.