ALFRED — Everytime Joe Abbiati pulls into his Lebanon driveway, he looks at the door to see if it has been kicked in ”“ again.

Abbiati looks at the door because in early March, his wife and sons came home to find it had been kicked open. About $10,000 worth of computers, jewelry and other miscellaneous items were taken.

It was a daytime burglary, one of many in a spate that began in February and wound down at the end of March with the arrest of four New Hampshire residents.

After the burglary, Abbiati said his 8-year-old son was scared and couldn’t sleep in his own bed for two weeks.

About 6,000 photographs stored on a computer and a hard drive are gone ”“ likely forever ”“ and so is a Nazi dagger his grandfather brought home from World War II. The video of his 10-year-old son playing trumpet in church is gone, too.

Three men and one woman face charges for allegedly breaking into the Abbiati home and in connection with nine other burglaries in rural Lebanon and Berwick, said York County Sheriff Maurice Ouellette, Wednesday. He said the four are being eyed for five to 10 more, including residential burglaries around Rochester, N.H.

Joseph Saylor, 22, and Derek Buzzell, 21, both of Rochester, and Jillian Walsh, 19, and Brandon Beaulieu, 20, of Salem  N.H., were all charged with burglary and theft. Walsh, Beaulieu and Buzzell were released on bail; Saylor is being held on a probation violation by New Hampshire authorities, Ouellette said.

He said the four described the burglaries as “going to work.” The items they allegedly stole financed their stays in motels, other living expenses and drug buys, he said.

“These four individuals were ”˜working’ between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.,” said Ouellette. “They’d leave a motel room, drive around rural areas and knock on doors. If no one was home, they’d break in.”

If a homeowner answered, they’d claim they were looking for someone.

In one case, a woman answered the door and the perpetrators asked for “Steve.” The homeowner said a man named Steve lived a few houses away. The four left and broke into Steve’s home, the sheriff said.

“We encourage people to call us if someone knocks at your door and it doesn’t look right,” the sheriff said. “Call police and get a license plate number if you can.”

Ouellette alleged the four stole flat screen televisions, computers and related electronics, jewelry and weapons. So far, police believe the four stole items valued at about $35,000. About $15,000 in merchandise has been recovered and returned to the owners. Ouellette some of the items were pawned in New Hampshire and some were traded for drugs.

Ouellette said the apprehension of the four was due to cooperation between the sheriff’s office and the Berwick, Eliot and Rochester, N.H. police departments.

“This agency prides itself on cooperation. The only way you can clear cases like this is to work with one another,” said Ouellette.

He said the case came together with “information received, follow-up and good police work.”

Berwick Police officer Jeff Pilkington said five of the cleared burglaries took place in the rural area of Berwick near the Lebanon town line.

“With the economy the way it is, some people take the easy way out,” burglarizing homes and stealing, said Pilkington.

Abbiati said the burglary at his home took place on a Thursday in early March. He said his wife had their two sons in the car and arrived home before he did and noticed the front door was open.

“She called me and I told her to call 911. (Police) told her to take the boys and drive away,” said Abbiati. He said he arrived home just as deputies drove in.

A hobbyist photographer, Abbiati said he had 6,000 photos stored on one of the computers that he never expects to see again ”“ and along with the computer, the thieves took his back-up hard drive.

He said the thieves rummaged through bureau drawers.

“It’s awful. It’s a terrifying thing to think people were in there. You wonder, are they going to be back,” he said. “I always look at the door when I pull into the driveway.”

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.