An Edgartown woman was arrested and charged last week in connection with a series of break-ins involving stolen prescription drugs from private homes in three Island towns.

Joann Hathaway, 52, was arraigned in Edgartown district court on Dec. 1 on six counts of breaking and entering in the daytime (a felony), two counts of larceny from a building and two counts of larceny under $250.

The arrests are the result of an investigation that began in July. Police began trailing a series of reports of odd behavior by a woman who was appearing at homes thought to be unoccupied. Prescription drugs were later reported missing or cabinet doors left open at those homes. The investigation widened from Edgartown to Tisbury and West Tisbury, and eventually led police to Ms. Hathaway, who according to police reports, admitted to entering some of the homes and taking prescription drugs from some of them, specifically Percocet.

Ms. Hathaway was arrested on Nov. 30, released on personal recognizance after her arraignment and a date was set for pretrial conference.

Edgartown Det. Sgt Christopher Dolby said he expects more charges may be coming from West Tisbury in connection with the same case. He said police separately have a warrant out for the arrest of a person who has left the state in connection with another series of break-ins and stolen prescription drugs.

He described the prescription drug issue as a growing problem on the Vineyard.

“It’s constant and just far-reaching,” Sergeant Dolby said. “For people with no criminal history, people who have never done anything like this in their lives, all of a sudden they are hooked on these pills . . . the most common story of course is you go to get your knee operated on and you get these painkillers and you become addicted to them. And after the refills run out you have to turn to the secondary market.”

In the lengthy police report description of the interview with Ms. Hathaway, Sergeant Dolby wrote in part: “She said she has been doing this over the past several months. She doesn’t know why and she’s never been in trouble before.”