Woman arrested by task force after threatening Dunkin’ employees with a gun

RUMFORD, Maine (WMTW) – Rumford police say a woman is in jail for allegedly walking up to the Dunkin’ drive-thru and pulling out a gun when staff refused to let her into the restaurant.

Just after 8 p.m. Wednesday, officers were called to the Dunkin’ location at 158 ​​Congress Street in Rumford. Employees at the store described a woman who reportedly approached the drive-thru window after the store closed and demanded to be let in to make a phone call.

When the employees refused, the woman pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and ran away. Investigators and officers from multiple agencies searched the area, but the use of a sniffer dog revealed that she eventually drove off in a vehicle.

An off-duty Mexican police lieutenant examined photos taken by store employees and nearby surveillance cameras and identified the woman as 33-year-old Rebecca Sims of Mexico.

“Although employees were traumatized by the incident, their quick actions likely prevented anyone from being injured or killed,” Rumford Police Chief Tony Milligan wrote in a statement. “Cooperation with the provider of security video footage recorded at a nearby facility enabled the suspect to be quickly identified.”

Authorities said officers monitored her Granite Street home overnight while Rumford police obtained search and arrest warrants.

Because Sims was believed to still be in possession of the gun she allegedly pointed at the Dunkin’ employees, Rumford police called in a state police task force to take Sims into custody.

Shortly before noon Thursday, the response team surrounded the home and ordered Sims out at gunpoint. Sims was reportedly arrested without incident and officers from Rumford and Mexico searched the home.

Rumford officials said several weapons were seized. Police found three handguns – including the one suspected in the original Dunkin’ incident – a shotgun, a machete, a hatchet, a Bowie knife and several loaded magazines.

Sims now faces one count of threatening to use a dangerous weapon and another count of threatening to display a weapon.

Sims’ bail was set at $1,000 cash and he was eventually transported to the York County Jail.

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