Four locals indicted in string of New Durham burglaries

From left, Anthony Hood, Steven Hood and Rachelle Kimball (Rochester Police photos) and John LaFlesh (Somersworth Police photo)

DOVER - Four area residents have been indicted in what one lawman characterized as an "organized" string of New Durham house burglaries that occurred around August.

Formally charged in the break-ins and thefts are John LaFlesh, 28, of 764 Upper Guinea Road, Lebanon; Steven Hood, 27, of 492 White Mtn. Hwy, Milton, his brother, Anthony Hood, 24, a transient; and Rachelle Kimball, 36, of 15 Pebblestone Lane, Rochester.

Most of the burglaries took place in August in the area of Meaderboro Road and Ten Rod Road.

"They were pretty well organized and had been doing it for a while in the area," New Durham Police Chief Shawn Bernier said today.

Bernier said a big break in the case came after one of the homeowners provided surveillance video of the suspects in action, while another break occurred after officers came upon two men who were later developed as suspects allegedly acting as lookouts for the others.

Court documents allege that Kimball, in concert with the Hood brothers and LaFlesh, did at least one of the following: agreed to drive to the area of Ten Road Road, New Durham, acted as a lookout, had a false story prepared if someone was home at the residence; and that then LaFlesh and Steven Hood entered the residence; and that LaFlesh and Steven Hood took items from the house.

Bernier said most of the houses were unoccupied at the time of the alleged burglaries, but not all.

Some of the items stolen included laptops, silver coins, cash and electronics, Bernier said, adding that one residence that apparently yielded little in the way of loot was completely trashed with holes put in the walls and broken glass everywhere.

"It was completely destroyed," he added.

Bernier said some of the stolen merchandise was recovered but some remains missing in the some half dozen burglaries that occurred.

After an investigation that lasted about a month, police were able to develop enough evidence to obtain arrest warrants for the four suspects.

Anthony Hood and Kimball are both formally charged with two counts of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and receiving stolen property; while Steven Hood and LaFlesh both faces two counts of burglary and one count of conspiracy to commit burglary.

Each separate felony charge carries a maximum seven-year prison sentence.

Anthony Hood is being held on no bail at Strafford County Jail, while the others are free awaiting trial.

The Strafford County grand jury indictments were handed down Thursday and released on Friday.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt, only that enough evidence has been gathered to warrant a trial.