Business break-ins reported in Hawks and Rogers City

Area law enforcement agencies are conducting investigations into the break-ins of the Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change on Bradley Highway and the Hawks Grocery Store on 451 Highway, and their relation to other B & E?s in the area. The Pennzoil break-in was discovered April 18 just before 8 a.m. as owner Casey Orr was preparing to open for the day. He noticed drawers were left open and things were generally out of place.

OFFICERS FROM the Rogers City Police Department responded to the scene and learned that suspect(s) gained entry by prying open a door. An undisclosed amount of money was removed from a cash register and an office. Orr said the only thing that appeared to be missing was money.

According to chief Matt Quaine, physical evidence was gathered at the scene and a time was pinpointed as to the time of the incident, but no further details were released, so as to not jeopardize the investigation. Officers are hoping evidence processed at the scene will lead to a suspect. It?s the second business break-in in Rogers City in three-and-a-half weeks as officers continue to investigate the March 26 break-in of Harbor Light Laundry on Michigan Avenue. Quaine said the cases could be related, considering the same method of operation of prying a door open was used.

Officers believe the tool used to break into both businesses was either a small pry bar or flat head screwdriver. It?s unclear as to how many people are involved. Footprint impressions were discovered at the break-in of the laundromat, in addition to other evidence. The latest incident was Tuesday morning at 2:35 after Presque Isle County central dispatch received a B & E alarm from Great Northern Drugs in Onaway. Upon arrival of officers it was discovered that entry was gained through a rear door, according to a press release from the Onaway Police Department.

Police chief James Gibson said an inventory was being taken to see if anything is missing. There are no suspect

THERE WAS also a break-in of the Hawks Grocery Store sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning, the second such break-in of a Hawks business in two months. The suspect(s) gained entry through a door, taking an undisclosed amount of cash and lottery tickets, according to the Michigan State Police, Rogers City detachment. It wasn?t the only break-in to a business in the area, as troopers in Alpena responded to a report of a break-in at the Dixon Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealership Saturday. According to a press release, the business was forcibly entered with an undetermined amount of cash stolen from an office.

Quaine is aware of the area break-ins and is ?conducting the investigation with other agencies.? Anyone with information should contact the Presque Isle County Sheriff?s Department at 1-800-734-2156.