ALFRED — Maine State Police said four people were taken into custody last week in connection with 13 residential break-ins in rural York County during February. Police are describing the arrests as the first phase of the investigation and say more arrests and charges could result. Seven of the burglaries were in Shapleigh, three were in Alfred and the rest in Newfield and Waterboro. Police said the burglars were fueled by a quest to acquire drugs.

Police are continuing to advise residents to lock their doors and report any activity that seems suspicious, and they want to know if someone appears out of place in the neighborhood. Some would-be burglars knock at a door and ask to use a phone because of car problems or ask if someone in particular lives there, when in reality, they’re checking to see if someone is home, police said.

Lt. Louis Nyitray, during a news conference Monday, praised the work of Det. Lauren Edstrom and Trooper Kevin Rooney and said solving the cases came from a combination of good police work, luck and cooperation from the public. That cooperation included the report to police by a burglary victim of footsteps leading from their burglarized home to another nearby where the alleged  perpetrators were holed-up, he said.

The house at 590 Newfield Road, described by police as a “flophouse,” where people went to use drugs, also earned a reputation as a place where people could buy stolen property, said Edstrom. She said police believe some stolen items were exchanged for drugs or money. Police executed a search warrant at the house last week, and said the value of the items recovered exceeded $10,000. The volume of the items ”“ from video games and flat-screen televisions taken in residential burglaries to clothing still on the hangers ”“ was so large that the bed of a police pick-up truck was full to the height of the cab. Police believe the clothing, sunglasses and footwear that still bore tags were stolen from outlet stores, and they are working with Kittery Police.

Police also seized about 10 grams of heroin from the house, valued at about $1,000.

Police said the owner of the home is out of state, but declined to elaborate. Shapleigh town records list the owners as Mitchell Merritt and Tasha Smith. No further information was available.

Edstrom said the four arrested in connection with the burglaries did not live there.

Jason Burleigh, 25, of York, was charged with burglary; Michael Zaetz, 23, of Rollinsford, N.H., was charged with a probation violation; Heather Laroche, 23, of Rollinsford, is wanted in New Hampshire on cocaine and heroin charges; and Paul Kastberg, 25, of Alfred, was charged with failure to pay fines.

York County Sheriff’s Office Maj. William King on Monday said Burleigh had also been charged that morning in connection with two burglaries in Waterboro and one in Shapleigh investigated by the sheriff’s office. Deputies in January received reports of 27 burglaries ”“ that number is in addition to the 13 reported to state police this month.

As well as electronics, those breaking into homes also target firearms, and Edstrom said police know there is one handgun on the street in connection with the February break-ins investigated by state police.

Both agencies are working with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Most of the burglaries took place during daylight hours. Edstrom said the burglars walked to some of the homes they broke into and drove to others. She said some doors were locked and some were not. In at least one instance, a homeowner answered the door to a knock by an individual police believe was Burleigh attempting to discern if someone was home.

“People need to be aware of what is going on in their neighborhood,” she said.

Nyitray said the number of burglaries has increased over the last 12 months ”“ fueled, he believes, by the economy and drug use.

State police made some suggestions that could help deter crime:

Ӣ Record serial numbers of any property that has a number. Keep the record of numbers in a safe place.

Ӣ Keep an eye on neighboring houses. Neighbors watching out for neighbors is a huge deterrent.

Ӣ Report any suspicious activity such as vehicles parked in an unusual spot or driving around rural areas during the daytime.

”¢ Never allow anybody you don’t know into your house. Potential burglars many times knock on the door of a targeted house. If nobody answers, a burglar will try to enter the property. If somebody answers, they may ask for directions or just say that they have the wrong house and leave. If that happens, get a description of the people and vehicles and call police immediately.

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