Maine Police Debunk Bigfoot Reports After Surge of Sightings, Find Man in Convincing Costume

Q: What made this Maine Bigfoot disguise so incredibly realistic that it triggered widespread public alarm and an official police investigation?

It was realistic enough because it closely resembled a full Bigfoot figure in public settings, not because police identified any special effects or mechanical trick. Officers and police statements repeatedly described it as a “very convincing costume,” and witnesses reported seeing what looked like a large, hairy, Sasquatch-like figure moving around town. What amplified the reaction was where and how it appeared. Residents reported the figure in several visible locations, including Main Street and near the local school during morning drop-off on the first day of school. In that context, a tall, fur-covered figure seen repeatedly by different people looked credible enough to spark about a half-dozen calls and a formal police response. Photos circulating locally also appear to have reinforced the illusion. Some reports said the person was covered head-to-toe in fur and, in at least some sightings, was seen wearing a top hat, making the figure even more attention-grabbing and memorable. Police said Officer William Smith eventually found the “creature” on Main Street and confirmed it was simply a Maine resident inside the costume. So the disguise triggered alarm less because of any supernatural detail and more because it was a well-made, full-body Bigfoot outfit worn openly in multiple parts of town, in daylight, where many people could see it and independently report it.

Q: Why did a man in a highly convincing Bigfoot costume target a local school drop-off, and how did he escape criminal charges?

There is no confirmed explanation for why the man appeared near the local school during morning drop-off. Police and later reports said his motives remained unclear, and authorities found no evidence that he was targeting the school for any criminal or threatening purpose. The sightings there, on the first day of school, were part of a wider string of appearances around Damariscotta, including on Main Street. He avoided criminal charges because officers determined no law had been broken. Officer William Smith located him on Main Street, spoke with him, and found the interaction friendly. Police said he was a Maine resident in a “very convincing” Bigfoot costume, but there was “no evidence of criminal activity” and “no indication of anything nefarious.” In other words, the episode appears to have been a hoax or stunt that alarmed people, but not one that crossed into a chargeable offense. Police emphasized that while the reports triggered real concern and a quick response, the case ultimately ended as a small-town oddity rather than a crime.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 7

Damariscotta police said several reported Bigfoot sightings last week were traced to a man wearing a “very convincing” costume, not an unidentified creature.
An unusually high number of calls pushed the department to investigate after residents repeatedly reported seeing the figure around the Maine town.
Officers said one policeman located the costumed man and confirmed the explanation after speaking with him, allowing the department to close the case.
In a Facebook post, police thanked residents for reporting the sightings and said the episode showed a community willing to look out for one another.