A cannabis shop in Turner was hit twice in a matter of weeks. The suspects were barely old enough for high school. And the arrests didn't come from the break-ins themselves — they came after a police chase ended with a stolen SUV crashing in Waterville.

The case at 45 Degree North Cannabis on Auburn Road is part of what investigators believe is a multi-county burglary spree targeting marijuana dispensaries across Maine, carried out by a group of juveniles who are also suspected in a string of vehicle thefts.

Two Break-Ins, Same Target

45 Degree North Cannabis at 2742 Auburn Road in Turner was burglarized twice — once in late April and again in early May 2026. The Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office investigated both incidents.

The details of what was taken haven't been fully disclosed, but the charges — which include theft by unauthorized taking — confirm that product or cash was removed from the business during the break-ins.

For the staff at 45 Degree North, the second break-in was especially rattling. Co-owner Jeremy Nadeau described his team as deeply shaken, not just by the fact that it happened again, but by the way the suspects operated — the forcefulness of the entries and the speed of the escapes.

The Chase That Led to the Arrests

The Turner burglaries went unsolved for weeks. The break came on Monday, May 19, and it didn't come from a tip or surveillance footage — it came from a police chase in Waterville.

Five people — one adult and four juveniles — were taken into custody after crashing an SUV during the pursuit. The group had been involved in a burglary spree hitting cannabis shops in Hancock County. When deputies connected the dots, two of the four juveniles in the crashed vehicle were identified as the suspects in the Turner break-ins.

Both teens — ages 13 and 15 — were charged with:

  • Burglary
  • Theft by unauthorized taking or transfer
  • Aggravated criminal mischief
  • Unauthorized use of property

They were taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. Their names have not been released due to their ages.

A Bigger Operation Than One Shop

The Turner break-ins appear to be just one piece of a larger puzzle. Investigators believe the same group of juveniles is responsible for cannabis shop burglaries across multiple counties in Maine, including incidents in Hancock County and a possible connection to an attempted break-in at High Rollers Dispensary on Route 26 in Mechanic Falls.

The vehicle thefts add another layer. Deputies indicated the teens may be connected to stolen vehicles across the state — the SUV involved in the Waterville crash was part of that pattern. The combination of burglary, vehicle theft, and multi-county mobility suggests this wasn't a couple of kids making impulsive decisions. There was a pattern, and it covered a lot of ground.

Additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.

The Shop Fights Back

After getting hit twice, the owners of 45 Degree North Cannabis didn't wait around for a third attempt. Nadeau confirmed that the shop now has security in place around the clock.

That kind of investment isn't small for a business in a town like Turner. But for Nadeau and his team, the alternative — hoping it doesn't happen again — wasn't acceptable. He credited his employees for showing up and getting the store back open after both break-ins, describing the staff as a tight-knit group that rallied when it mattered.

The community response has been sympathetic. Customers at the shop expressed frustration and sadness that the perpetrators were so young, with one describing it as heartbreaking that children are carrying out this kind of crime.

Why Cannabis Shops Keep Getting Targeted

This isn't a problem unique to Turner or even to Maine. Cannabis dispensaries across the country have become frequent targets for burglars, and the reasons are straightforward:

  • Cash-heavy businesses — Many cannabis operations still deal primarily in cash due to federal banking restrictions on the industry
  • Valuable product — Cannabis inventory is compact, high-value, and easy to move
  • Predictable security gaps — Smaller shops in rural areas may not have the security infrastructure of larger operations
  • Limited federal protection — Because cannabis remains federally illegal, some of the protections available to other retail businesses don't apply in the same way

For shop owners in Maine's smaller towns, the challenge is balancing the cost of security upgrades against the margins of running a legal cannabis business. Getting burglarized twice in a month can be an existential threat to a small operation.

The Juvenile Justice Question

The ages of the suspects — 13 and 15 — put this case squarely in the middle of a conversation that's been building across Maine all spring. From the Avon Street shooting in Lewiston (where the suspects were 13 and 15) to this multi-county burglary ring, young teenagers are showing up in increasingly serious criminal cases.

Long Creek Youth Development Center, where these suspects are being held, is Maine's only juvenile detention facility. The state has been grappling with questions about juvenile justice reform, capacity at Long Creek, and what actually works to redirect young people who are committing adult-level crimes.

These cases don't fit neatly into either the "lock them up" or "they're just kids" frameworks. A 13-year-old running a multi-county burglary operation from stolen vehicles is a different situation than a teenager making a one-time mistake.

Frequently Asked Questions

What shop was burglarized?

45 Degree North Cannabis, located at 2742 Auburn Road in Turner, Maine. The shop was broken into twice — once in late April and again in early May 2026.

How old were the suspects?

The two teens charged in the Turner burglaries are 13 and 15 years old. Their names have not been released.

How were they caught?

The arrests came after five people (one adult and four juveniles) crashed an SUV during a police chase in Waterville on May 19. Two of the juveniles were linked to the Turner break-ins during the subsequent investigation.

What are they charged with?

Burglary, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, aggravated criminal mischief, and unauthorized use of property. Additional charges are expected.

Were other shops targeted?

Yes. The suspects are believed to be connected to cannabis shop burglaries in Hancock County and possibly an attempted break-in at High Rollers Dispensary in Mechanic Falls. Deputies also suspect them in vehicle thefts across the state.

Has the shop increased security?

Yes. Co-owner Jeremy Nadeau confirmed the shop now has security in place 24/7 following the two break-ins.

What This Means for Maine's Cannabis Industry

The Turner break-ins are a wake-up call for cannabis retailers across the state, particularly smaller operations in rural communities. Security isn't optional — it's a cost of doing business in an industry that's become a magnet for property crime.

For the broader community, the case raises questions about what's driving teenagers into organized criminal activity and what resources are actually reaching them before they end up in the back of a police cruiser or the halls of Long Creek.

If you have information about cannabis shop burglaries in Maine, contact the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office.

Dirty Lew will follow this case as additional charges are filed and the investigation expands.