Facial Tattoos Lead to Swift Arrest of Lewiston Man in BJ's Wholesale Club Robberies

AUBURN, Maine — A Lewiston man's highly distinctive facial tattoos proved to be his undoing after they allowed employees and police to quickly identify him as the suspect in two separate robberies at a BJ's Wholesale Club in Auburn.

The Auburn Police Department arrested 38-year-old Jeremy Proctor on Monday, March 18, 2024, approximately two hours after he allegedly threatened store employees during a theft. According to court records, Proctor attempted to leave the store with a shopping cart filled with unpaid merchandise. When confronted by loss prevention staff, Proctor pulled a metal pipe—identified in some reports as a tire iron—from his sleeve and brandished it in a threatening manner before fleeing to a waiting getaway car.

Investigators quickly linked Proctor to a similar incident at the same BJ's Wholesale Club on Saturday, March 16. In that earlier encounter, Proctor allegedly threatened employees with a knife when they tried to stop him from leaving the store with stolen goods.

In both instances, witnesses and victims provided investigators with a detailed description of the suspect, highlighting prominent facial tattoos. Using this information, officers identified Proctor and tracked him to a location in nearby Lewiston, where he was taken into custody without incident.

Proctor faces multiple charges, including felony robbery, theft, and aggravated criminal mischief. He was booked into the Androscoggin County Jail and is currently held pending his initial court appearance. Police are also working to identify the driver of the getaway vehicle involved in the March 18 incident.