A search warrant was executed Dec. 23 at a home in the community as part of the investigation, but McKenna said he could not identify the street address because it would compromise the investigation.
The crime spree began Dec. 19. More than nine residences have been burglarized thus far, according to the chief.
Even though she just recently had a deadbolt installed on her door, Melissa Henderson of Houlton said Thursday she has gone to bed with a sofa shoved up against the front door (the past two nights).
“It is unnerving, what’s going on here,” she admitted, speaking of a string of burglaries that targeted residents in the days leading up to Christmas, several while residents were in their beds sleeping.
“If you have someone going around breaking into homes while people are sleeping, you have to think that locks aren’t enough,” she said. “This is just an extra bit of security I am taking, for my own piece of mind.”
Henderson is not the only one.
On Thursday afternoon, Wendy Mitchell of Houlton was making a previously unplanned Christmas Eve trip to Walmart to buy a deadbolt for her home.
“I have one on my front door but not on my back,” she said. “I think that needs to change. Some of the burglaries were right around my neighborhood. I never thought that would happen, especially during the holiday season.”
Homes on Alfred, Rodgers, Columbia and South streets as well as Ridgeview Drive were burglarized.
Mitchell said she is hoping the police soon will have the thieves in custody so 2016 “will be a lot more relaxing.”
