Two men were arrested in Auburn after a failure to stop for police. 44-year-old Francisco Mercedes, and 25-year-old Hannier Alexander Orozco-Mosquera, both of New York, were detained as part of a criminal investigation.
The suspects allegedly would use fake identification cards to obtain store credit and make large purchases, then transport the items back to the New York and New Jersey area.
From the Auburn Police Department:
On March 20, 2025, at approximately 11:20am, Auburn Police Officers located a vehicle on Washington Street southbound. The vehicle was being sought in connection with organized retail thefts taking place in various parts of Maine. When patrol officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the two male occupants refused to stop for police and continued to drive toward the Maine Turnpike. While officers were following behind with lights and siren sounding, the subjects began to throw items from the vehicle into the roadway.
The tossed items were recovered by police and determined to be fake identification cards that the subjects were attempting to destroy before stopping for police. In addition to the fake cards, officer located identification cards from a variety of foreign countries.An investigation by Auburn Detectives led to the arrest of Francisco Mercedes 44, of New York, NY for felony Organized Retail Theft, Theft by Deception, Falsifying Physical Evidence (class D), Misuse of Identification (class D), and Driving Without a License (class E). Mercedes was transported to the Androscoggin County Jail where his bail has been set at $6,000 cash.
The second male involved, identified as Hannier Alexander Orozco-Mosquera 25, also residing in New York, was detained as part of the criminal investigation and upon positive identification, was found to be in the United States illegally. Mosquera was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.
This retail crime spree involved numerous Home Depot stores in central and southern Maine where the suspects would use fake identification cards to obtain store credit and make large purchases, then transport the items back to the New York and New Jersey area. This investigation is active and ongoing while Auburn Detectives collaborate with other law enforcement agencies. Additional arrests and charges are expected.
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