Inset: Harrison Coleman (Androscoggin County Jail). Background: The Walmart where Harrison allegedly forced his ex-girlfriend to steal for him (Google Maps).
In an unsettling incident in Maine, a man named Harrison Coleman, aged 50, is facing serious charges after allegedly kidnapping his former girlfriend and coercing her into theft at a Walmart. Coleman has been charged with kidnapping, domestic violence assault, and domestic violence criminal threatening, as confirmed by local authorities.
The Auburn Police Department shared details of the event, which unfolded around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29. A Walmart employee alerted an on-duty officer about a distressed 30-year-old woman inside the store. The woman, reportedly in a state of panic, informed the officer that she had been forcibly brought to the store against her will.
According to the victim’s account, Coleman, identified as her ex-boyfriend, was the one who had abducted her. She recounted that he had threatened her life, demanding she shoplift for him at the store.
Upon learning of the situation, multiple officers arrived at the scene and discovered Coleman sitting in a vehicle just outside the Walmart, which is located approximately 30 miles north of Portland, Maine.
The preliminary findings, as outlined in the police release, suggest a disturbing series of events where Coleman allegedly assaulted the woman, coerced her into his car, and drove her to the Walmart. Once there, he purportedly instructed her to steal specific items, threatening severe consequences if she failed to comply. The victim, seeking help, managed to alert Walmart employees, prompting them to contact the officer present in the parking lot.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that Coleman had physically assaulted the victim, forced her into his vehicle, and driven her to Walmart,” the release states. “Once at the store, Coleman allegedly instructed the victim to steal specific items and threatened to kill her if she did not comply. The victim approached Walmart employees inside the store, who quickly contacted the on-duty officer stationed in the parking lot.”
Investigators said several witnesses in the store corroborated the victim”s claims.
“The quick actions of Walmart employees and the close proximity of the initial responding officer ensured this victim’s safety and led to the swift arrest of the suspect,” Auburn Deputy Chief of Police Tim Cougle said in a statement following the arrest.
Coleman was placed under arrest and processed at the Androscoggin County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. It was not immediately clear when Coleman was scheduled to make his initial appearance in court.
