FREEPORT

It appears the armed theft of an SUV in Portland and later bank robbery in Freeport on Firday were perpetrated by the same individual, according to the Portland Police Department.

Although Supervisor Special Agent Aaron Steps of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the FBI was not in a position to comment on the investigation Tuesday, Lt. James Sweatt of the Portland Police Criminal Investigations Department said the robberies are believed to have been the actions of one individual.

An initial attempted armed robbery took place around 1:45 p.m. in Portland at the Forest Avenue Hannaford’s parking lot. Police say a black male, about 20- years-old, 5 feet 10 inches and wearing dark clothing approached a man sitting in his car.

The suspect was armed with a handgun and demanded the man’s phone before fleeing on foot without the phone.

About an hour later, a man of the same description approached a woman in her car at a parking lot at 850 Baxter Blvd. at the Seaside Nursing Home. He pointed a gun at the driver and ordered her out of the her silver 2004 Honda Pilot. The woman fled on foot as the suspect stole her car.

In Freeport, at approximately 3 p.m., a black male approximately 6 feet tall with slender build entered the Key Bank at 135 Main St. and brandished a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money.

The suspect fled the bank in a silver SUV with an undisclosed amount of money. The car was later recovered abandoned in Yarmouth around 6 p.m., where it was searched for evidence by Portland, Cumberland and Yarmouth police departments as well as the Maine State Police.

The Key Bank was searched for evidence by the Brunswick Police department. The incidents continue to be investigated by all departments involved as well as the FBI.

dmcintire@timesrecord.com