ROCKLAND — The Maine State Police said that the arrest this week of four area men capped a successful investigation into a series of safe and home burglaries that occurred in nine Maine counties over a two-year period.

Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, on Friday described the men as “career criminals. … These guys didn’t have jobs. This is what they did for a living.”

McCausland said that state police investigators had tied the group, and five other area residents arrested last October, to “29 safe jobs and 24 home burglaries … plus there are several other major thefts that we think they were involved in.” Many of the safes were taken from post offices and town halls, McCausland said.

Arrested in Florida was John L. Wall, 27, of Rockland, charged with the burglary of the Frankfort Town Office and Post Office. Also arrested were: Jeffrey P. Knight, 30, of Thomaston, burglary of the Frankfort Town Office; Steven W. Kaler, 25, of Rockland, burglary of the West Poland Post Office; and Glenn Steeves, 35, of Raymond, burglary of the Waterford Town Office and receiving stolen goods. McCausland described Steeves as a fence, or dealer in stolen goods.

Also implicated in the case was Scott Beal, 20, of Rockland. The warrant issued for Beal charges him with the burglary of Bob’s Variety in Rockport.

“I suspect that he will be arrested or turning himself in soon,” McCausland said.

McCausland attributed the arrest to a coordinated effort of state police, and county and municipal police. He cited Trooper Mark Lopez of Troop C in Skowhegan “because his initial investigation started the process that led to these arrests.” McCausland said that Troopers Gene Poirier of Troop C, Doug Parlin of Troop B in Gray, and Dale York of Troop D in Thomaston coordinated the investigation with local authorities.

“We’re not saying all these guys were in on each burglary together, but they all knew each other as a group,” McCausland said. “They were responsible for breaks from Eustis in the north to the Rockland-Lincolnville area on the coast.”

Three men connected with the ring arrested in September for a break-in at the Eustis Post Office were Brian D. Cookson, 26, of Rockland; Dennis E. O’Brien, 26, of Camden; and Frank Dennison, 34, of Lincolnville Center.

The three men pleaded guilty to the charges in U.S. District Court in Bangor on October and are awaiting sentencing. Also arrested were O’Brien’s wife, Tammy L., 28, of Camden and John Wall’s wife, Tammy I., 24, of Camden. The two women are free on bail awaiting trial.