FRYEBURG — Five burglaries in the past week have spurred the Fryeburg Police Department to increase patrols — both foot and car — in the East Fryeburg area.

Sunday night, foot patrol units discovered a residential burglary, which is related to other break-ins and home invasions.

Officers Michelle Legare and Steve Witham discovered at 10 p.m. that a Baker Circle residence had been entered using force. Investigators contacted the homeowners in Massachusetts and have spent most of Monday processing the scene and collecting physical evidence.

The seasonal home was unoccupied at the time of the burglary.

Residents in the East Fryeburg area are urged to be “hyper vigilant” and report any suspicious foot or vehicular traffic, said Fryeburg PD Detective Sergeant Joshua Potvin. Anyone with information can call police at 935-3323. Reference case number 13-178-OF.

Last Thursday, a second home invasion occurred between 3 and 6 a.m. on North Elkins Brook Road in Fryeburg. Police say sometime during Wednesday evening, a suspect(s) entered the victim’s residence and took keys to a vehicle and a cell phone while the homeowners were sleeping.

“Suspect(s) returned to the residence again this morning, shut the electric breaker off at a pole and again keyed themselves into the residence while the homeowners were sleeping,” Detective Potvin said. “Suspect(s) rifled through personal belongings on the first floor while the residents were asleep on the second floor. Suspect(s) stole the homeowner’s vehicle, which was later recovered on Belair Estate Road.”

Assisted by State Police K-9 unit and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, investigators have gathered extensive physical evidence from the crime scenes.

“We believe, at this time, that this incident is related to the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter burglary,” Detective Potvin added.

On Saturday, another home invasion occurred, this time on Sanborn Road, between 6 and 7 a.m.

Using force, suspect(s) entered the home through a basement window, entered the residence while the occupants were asleep and gained access to the first floor living quarters.

“After hearing noises, one of the residents went downstairs to find the doors open and her purse and vehicle keys missing,” Detective Potvin said. “She suspects that she interrupted the crime and just missed the suspect(s), who fled on foot.”

With assistance from the State Police K-9 unit, investigators recovered the victim’s vehicle keys and purse. Cash was missing.

Again, police believe the Sanborn Road break-in is related to the other home invasions and animal shelter burglary.