ATM thefts and vehicle fires in Portsmouth, Somersworth: Brothers and wife charged

Police allege two brothers and one of their wives set fires to divert officers while they stole ATMs filled with cash from banks in Portsmouth and Somersworth last fall.

Tens of thousands of dollars were stolen and tens of thousands of dollars in property damage was caused by the crimes, according to court records and prosecutors in Rockingham and Strafford counties.

James Cahill, 36, and Joshua Cahill, 33, were both indicted in January by a Strafford County Superior Court grand jury on charges of theft by unauthorized taking in connection with an ATM theft at a Somersworth bank Oct. 14. Both are Class A felonies punishable by upwards of 7½ to 15 years behind bars and a $4,000 fine.

This week, Joshua Cahill and Morgan Baker — who is believed by authorities to be married to James Cahill — were indicted by a Rockingham County Superior Court grand jury on several counts for a similar incident Sept. 6 in Portsmouth, where multiple vehicles burned. James Cahill is named by police in an affidavit detailing the Portsmouth incident, but he has not been indicted in connection with that incident.

Baker has been indicted only in the Portsmouth incident, but is named by police in court documents regarding the Somersworth crime, too.

Courts show all three defendants last resided in Kittery, Maine.

The Cahill brothers, formerly of York, have a history of arrests for crimes, including burglaries, thefts, arson, assault and drug possession dating back at least a decade.

Indictments indicate a grand jury has found there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.

What happened in Portsmouth crimes and details of investigation

A police affidavit written by Portsmouth police Detective Erik Widerstrom in December notes the similarities in the two crimes.

On Sept. 6 at 12:46 a.m. Portsmouth police and fire department members were dispatched to the area of the Sheraton hotel downtown for a report of a vehicle fire, the affidavit states. Three vehicles sustained extensive damage.

Later in the morning, Portsmouth police were notified of an ATM theft at the Northeast Credit Union on Borthwick Avenue, the affidavit states. In reviewing video surveillance from the bank, about three miles away from the Sheraton, police noted the theft also occurred at 12:46 a.m.

Bank security footage showed a white Ford Ranger drove up to the ATM at that time, with two men dressed in camouflage and black clothing using pry bars to wedge open the machine. After the ATM hood was opened, the affidavit reads, the men attached J-Hooks to the ATM and used the vehicle to open it wider before taking money and driving away.

A bank official stated $85,870 was stolen from the ATM, and an estimated $55,000 in damages is alleged.

Police allege the Ford Ranger used in the ATM theft had a stolen New Hampshire license plate, which was placed on top of a Maine license plate. On the day of the crime, Portsmouth police received a Maine license plate a member of the public found on State Street. Police linked the registration to a white Ford Ranger owned by a business in York, Maine.

“There was a significant amount of suspected blood located on the interior of the truck's passenger compartment,” Widerstrom wrote.

The York Police Department took the truck for DNA sampling, and it was identified as the vehicle used in the Portsmouth bank robbery. York police advised Widerstrom one of the suspects in the Northeast Credit Union surveillance footage resembled James Cahill, who was reporting to Maine probation and parole from a previous burglary and arson conviction in Keene, New Hampshire.

Baker is accused of “sourcing and ordering” masks, disguises and portable radios used in the Portsmouth theft, as well as “producing fake signage to close the parking lot of the (Northeast) Credit Union during the commission of the theft.”

Joshua Cahill is facing seven counts: conspiracy to commit criminal mischief, criminal mischief, conspiracy to commit arson, falsifying physical evidence, conspiracy to commit falsifying physical evidence, theft by unauthorized taking and conspiracy to commit theft by unauthorized taking.

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Baker was indicted on six charges: conspiracy to commit criminal mischief, accomplice to theft by unauthorized taking, conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit falsifying evidence, falsifying physical evidence and conspiracy to commit theft by unauthorized taking.

How the Somersworth theft unfolded

On the morning of Oct. 14, Widerstrom’s narrative states, Portsmouth police were advised a similar ATM theft had occurred earlier that morning in Somersworth. Police from the Hilltop City reported they first received reports about a vehicle fire at 3:01 a.m. Three minutes later, a Service Credit Union alarm was activated about two miles away at 24 Washington St.

Police responded to the bank and found the ATM was missing. Around 4 a.m., Somersworth police located a vacated 2013 GMC pick-up truck with J-Hook chains connected to the back of it.

That same morning, the affidavit states, a caller reported to Somersworth police he had loaned the truck to James Cahill, which he learned was used by Cahill to try and steal an ATM.

“(The caller) had been instructed to report his truck stolen,” the affidavit says.

In interviews with Somersworth police, the caller who reported his truck was used in the crime stated Morgan Baker called an hour after the Somersworth theft to tell him that the Cahill brothers “had attempted to steal money from at ATM in Somersworth, but it had not gone as planned and they had to abandon (the caller’s) truck in Somersworth,” the affidavit reads.

“Morgan then directed (the caller) to delete text messages between himself and James and report his truck stolen to police,” the affidavit alleges.

Interviews conducted by police found Baker and James Cahill were using Facebook Messenger, voice calls and text messages to discuss the details of the alleged crimes before and after they took place.

Suspects seen in photos with pile of money, police say

Police obtained a search warrant for James Cahill and Baker’s residence in Kittery, executed by police from Kittery, Portsmouth and Somersworth. In their bedroom, police found a safe, which contained several items, including two Polaroid-style images. In one photograph, the Cahill brothers are allegedly seen posing on a bed with “a large sum of cash,” while the other allegedly shows Baker and another woman similarly posing with the money.

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The affidavit states Somersworth police obtained arrest warrants for the brothers for the city ATM theft. James Cahill was arrested on Oct. 25, followed by Joshua Cahill’s arrest on Nov. 1, according to Somersworth police Capt. John Sunderland.

Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi said Friday both brothers have plea offers and have not yet responded.

James Cahill is represented by attorney Bob Watkins, while Joshua Cahill’s attorney is Kimberly Shoen and Baker is being represented by New Hampshire public defender Emily Jessep. None of the attorneys could be reached for comment Friday.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: ATM thefts and vehicle fires in Portsmouth, Somersworth NH linked