'Serial Burglar' Indicted for Hampton, Seabrook Thefts

A Manchester man police have called a "serial burglar" was indicted this month in Rockingham Superior Court grand jury in connection to a number of burglaries and thefts in Hampton and Seabrook.

Joseph J. Lebel, 52, was charged for the crimes in August after detectives found the previously elusive man riding his bike on the south end of Hampton. 

Dan Gidley, a Hampton police lieutenant and a member of the Crimeline for the Hamptons' board of directors, said investigators originally had no information on the suspect wanted in connection to these burglaries.

A store surveillance photo was released in the hopes that someone would recognize Lebel, and Gidley credited multiple anonymous sources for coming forward because that information was instrumental in Lebel's arrest.

Gidley said the Crimeline paid a cash reward on Dec. 12 for that information, and he issued a release Friday on behalf of the Crimeline in order to thank the public for assistance in the investigation.

The rewards provided by the Crimeline are cash rewards of up to $1,000 that are approved by the Crimeline's board of directors after reviewing a request from a local police liaison, according to Gidley.

Gidley said the tipster in all cases has complete anonymity and is only 
known by a one police liaison that provides the rewards to the sources. 
 
Gidley asked anyone with information on crimes in the Hampton, North Hampton, Seabrook and Hampton Falls area to call the Crimeline for the Hamptons at (603) 929-1222.

Tips can be also submitted by visiting www.tipsubmit.com and selecting "Hamptons" as the region or by texting the word “CRIMES” (274637) with the keyword "Hamptons." 

You can also find the links on the Crimeline’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hamptoncrimeline.