AUGUSTA -- What was supposed to be one of Marlene Dumais' best weeks in months has turned into one of the worst.

Dumais, who was burned out of the Vassalboro home she shared with her husband and two teenage children in April, was going to buy a boiler on Thursday that would allow her family to move out of the camper in which they've been living, and into the house they've been building with their own hands.

But those plans changed when Dumais inexplicably lost her purse and the $5,600 the family had borrowed from a relative to buy the boiler.

"I don't know how I can explain it," Dumais said, crying. "I can't imagine leaving my purse in the cart."

Dumais had the purse as she shopped at the Augusta Wal-Mart on Thursday afternoon. The store's video surveillance shows she was carrying it when she left.

But somewhere between leaving the store and when she returned home an hour later, the purse disappeared.

Dumais theorizes she might have accidentally left the purse in a cart or on her vehicle.

Dumais has scoured Wal-Mart and talked to Augusta police.

At this point, she thinks her only hope is someone's conscience leading them to turning the purse in or provide information.

"I would like to see it returned with everything in it," she said.

If someone did find the purse and did not return it, they have committed a crime, Augusta police Sgt. Chris Massey said.

"If someone locates property that is not theirs they need to make a reasonable effort to notify police to return it," Massey said.

If not, Dumais, who works two jobs, said she will have to pick up more hours so they can buy a used heating boiler.

"It was stupid," she said. "I can't imagine what ... I was thinking."

Anyone with information on the lost purse is asked to call the Augusta police at 626-2370.

Craig Crosby--623-3811 Ext. 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com