EXETER - It was the best of crimes, it was the worst of crimes. For the Exeter area, it was both, as 2004 saw a string of robberies at banks and barber shops, fitness centers and fish shops.

The year’s crime sprees culminated locally on Monday, Nov. 22, when a man robbed Ocean National Bank’s Center Street Branch in Exeter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation believes he also is responsible for three other bank robberies, including one in Hampton. The bureau linked the man to recent robberies in Hampton, at the High Street branch of the Bank of New Hampshire, and two in Haverhill, Mass.

The suspect remains at large.

But the first of the big crimes of the year came on Tuesday, Feb. 17, when the West Epping Village Market was robbed at gunpoint.

That Sunday, High Street Grocery in Exeter was hit. Bob Hall, whose family has owned the shop since 1957, opened the door to put out his recyclables and found a masked man with a gun.

Fecteau’s Country Store on Main Street in Epping also was robbed that night just before closing.

Six stores in all were hit during the week-long spree, including Liberty Square Market in Fremont, Xtra Mart in Exeter, and DC Mobil in Candia.

That week police arrested Brandon Bilodeau, 26, of Manchester, and Keith S. MacLeod, 25, formerly of Epping, outside Walgreen’s pharmacy on Portsmouth Avenue in Exeter. Both had criminal records that included theft.

The two men were also suspected of burglarizing three homes in Candia the same day DC Mobil was held up.

On Feb. 23, a man held up the Fleet Bank on Portsmouth Avenue and allegedly sped off in a truck driven by an accomplice.

Just a few weeks later, police arrested and charged Boden Hughes, 25, of Kittery, with robbing that bank and one in Portsmouth, and aiding and abetting in a North Hampton heist.

In early April, police began investigating a link between several breaks into cars outside fitness centers and sports facilities around the Seacoast. In most cases, the thief smashed a front window to gain access to personal belongings inside the vehicles, including wallets, purses and a laptop computer.

Thefts occurred in Epping, Exeter, Newmarket and Seabrook. Exeter was the hardest hit, with 10 vehicles reportedly burglarized sometime after 8 p.m. on April 1 - four at Results Swim and Fitness on Epping Road, and a short time later, six more across the street at The Rinks at Exeter on Industrial Drive.

On the same night, windows were broken on two vehicles parked at the Crossroads Sports and Entertainment Center behind McDonald’s on Route 125 in Epping.

In May, burglars hit the Town and Country Barber Shop on Water Street and Fresh Fish Daley on Front Street in Exeter - twice each within a week.

In October, the fish market was hit yet again.

That same week the West Epping Village Market - the one robbed in February - was hit again by a masked man with a gun.

No arrests have been made in connection with car breaks or with the Exeter business burglaries.

At about 10:20 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 25, Exeter resident Eric Mansfield allegedly demanded money from the clerk at the Gibbs convenience store on Portsmouth Avenue in Exeter, telling the clerk he was armed, and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.

He was captured and arraigned, as was Jeffrey Rohr, 29, of Hampton.

The two also were charged with burglaries for a series of house breaks and attempted breaks the same night in the Pickpocket Road and Watson Road area the same night. Two burglaries occurred in Brentwood the same night.

Further charges may yet be filed against Rohr and Mansfield.