Salem Man ID'd By Public Is Arrested In Connection With Liquor Theft

SALEM, NH — A Salem man accused of stealing a bottle of liquor from a local store was arrested Friday after the public helped identify him from security camera footage posted online, the Salem Police Department said.

Matthew D. Williams, 32, was charged with one count of willful concealment; theft: with two prior qualifying convictions, which is a Class B felony, police said.

The Salem PD said Williams was processed and released on personal recognizance and is scheduled to appear in Rockingham Superior Court on Dec. 1.

Williams is accused of stealing a bottle of liquor from the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet, located at 92 Cluff Crossing Rd #4, at 4:51 p.m. on Oct. 20, police said.

On Oct. 25, the Salem PD posted two photos on social media, which were taken from security camera footage. The photos showed a man clad in a New England Patriots t-shirt and jacket, whom the department said may have taken one or multiple items from the store.

"(The man in the photo) may or may not have allegedly taken products from our local liquor store without paying for them," the department wrote in a Facebook post. "We need to know who this is in order to get to the bottom of this."

The department said it took just 37 minutes for the suspect to be identified.

"This arrest was made largely in part due to a tip received from a citizen who had viewed the image on the social media post and contacted the Salem Police Department," Captain Jason Smith said.

The Salem PD said a warrant was issued for the suspect's arrest, and Williams was taken into custody Friday just before 11 a.m.