PARIS - Three people were charged over the weekend in connection with burglaries and vandalism at 40 summer camps, including one that was burned to the ground.

A fourth person will be summoned to court, and that may be only the tip of the iceberg, according to state and local police.

The case involves thousands of dollars of damage to camps throughout an area that includes Byron, Woodstock and Sumner; the theft of firearms, tools and other valuables; and the resources of several dozen officers from the Oxford County Sheriff's Office, Maine State Police and the State Fire Marshal's office over a four-week period.

Police have recovered six shotguns, handguns and rifles, tools and gas cans believed to have been used to fill vehicles with gasoline.

Oxford County Chief Deputy Sheriff Darrell Tripp called the crimes "domestic terrorism."

At a press conference Tuesday, Tripp and State Police Lt. Walter Grzyb said the case began to unravel over the weekend when an unidentified person tipped off police, leading to the arrest of the three people:

• Jessica Ann Gill, 20, of 31 Sicotte Road, Peru, was arrested Sunday at her home and charged with two counts of burglary, theft of a firearm and theft.

• Shawn Andrew Arsenault, 20, of the same address, was arrested Sunday at his home and charged with five counts of burglary, theft of a firearm, theft and criminal mischief.

• Matthew Moscillo, 20, of 4 Golden Drive, Canton, was arrested Friday on a probation violation and charged two days later with burglary and arson.

A Dixfield man will be summoned to court on charges related to the vandalism and burglaries, Tripp said. The deputy chief said police were interviewing a fifth suspect late Tuesday afternoon and more arrests are expected in the case.

Police said the camps sustained damage "to the extreme" in the spree that began in early June. They believe the burglars intended to or tried to burn down all 40 camps. Almost every camp was sprayed with fire extinguishers, in addition to other vandalism, officials said.

Brenda Freeman of Peru, who owns a camp on Concord Pond in Woodstock, said Tuesday night that she and other camp owners will do what it takes to protect their property.

"They terrorized us," she said of the break-in at her camp that resulted in the theft of an antique .357-Magnum six-shooter and 30 to 40 rounds of ammunition. The gun has been recovered and returned to Freeman.

She said she and other campers on Concord Pond met over the Fourth of July weekend to exchange stories. She said one camp, owned by an 80-year-old woman, was broken into twice. Freeman said the woman was seen with a generator in the back of her truck to power a shop vacuum she was using to clean up the mess.

Freeman said the campers are ready if there is any more trouble. "We're not afraid to protect our properties."