(Host) Police in Vermont say seven people are facing charges in connection with about 100 burglaries in five states.
Most of the burglaries – 60 of them – happened in Vermont. Another 30 were in New Hampshire, plus four in Maine, four in Massachusetts and one in Virginia.
State and local police said Monday that four suspects have been arrested; two others are in custody in New Hampshire on unrelated charges; and authorities are looking for the seventh- 21-year-old Logan Critchfield of Walpole.
Police say the thieves would target small businesses without alarm systems in the early morning hours and take cash and other items.
State Police Lieutenant Rick Hopkins says a deputy Windham County States Attorney first noticed similarities in multiple burglaries in the Connecticut River Valley. Hopkins says the investigation is still ongoing, but that efforts are yielding results.
(Hopkins) "The widespread nature of the crimes involved caused a lot of concern across the area. We had a lot of people in the communities concerned about their safety and security. So we felt that at this point it was really important to let them know that progress is being made."
(Host) The investigation, which has been going on for about a year, has involved cooperation from more than 20 different law enforcement agencies.