A 26-year-old Damariscotta man is wanted by police in two towns for allegedly robbing and assaulting a man on Jan. 10, then burglarizing a motor vehicle on Tuesday.

Joshua Dean Benner is wanted on a Damariscotta Police Department warrant charging him with Class A felony robbery and misdemeanor assault, Damariscotta Police Chief Ronald Young said Wednesday.

The afternoon of Jan. 10, a 24-year-old Waldoboro man known to Benner reported to police that he had earlier that day gone to a parking lot behind Renys department store in Damariscotta to purchase a used car for

$1,000, according to

Young.

“I’m not sure if Joshua was supposed to meet up with him or not, but Josh and two unknown men [allegedly] started hitting the victim in his ribs and head and knocked him down,” Young said. “Apparently then Josh reached into [the alleged victim’s] jacket and pulled out $1,000.”

On Wednesday, Monmouth police called Young to say Benner is suspected to have committed a burglary Wednesday in that town, Young said.

A call to Monmouth police was not returned on Wednesday, but according to a notice posted on the Monmouth Police Department Facebook page, Benner allegedly broke into a motor vehicle in that town on Wednesday.

Asked if he considers Benner dangerous, Young said, “I’ve never met the kid but he’s got a history of drug abuse, and there’s obviously some propensity for violence when he beat up this guy and took his money.”

If apprehended, Benner will be charged in Damariscotta with Class A felony robbery and misdemeanor assault. Charges pending in Monmouth were unavailable.

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