CONVENIENCE STORE BROKEN INTO TWICE

By Jon Mayhew

DENVER -- An East Lincoln convenience store is broken into twice, where more than $8,700 worth of North Carolina scratch-off lottery tickets were taken. Now, Lincoln County Sheriff's Department detectives are investigating the break-ins.

The break-ins occurred Saturday around 2:30am and Tuesday just after midnight at the Jones Exxon at 504 South Highway 16.

"In both cases, the suspect used a dark colored Honda SUV to back through the two front doors of the store," said Detective Mark Stamey.

A white male exited the vehicle and took lottery tickets, $2,000 worth of checks and $500 in cash. On Saturday, the theft involved the loss of $4,500 in lottery tickets. The break-in Tuesday morning involved another $4,200 worth of lottery tickets.

In both cases the burglar alarm was activated but the suspect fled the scene before officers arrived.

The first break-in broke the driver’s side tail light lens while the last break-in broke the other tail light lens. Detective Stamey said the scratch off winners was being cashed at several Charlotte area stores.

The suspect was described as a white male wearing jeans and a blue coat. The suspect vehicle is a dark colored Honda SUV with a 30-day license plate and both tail lens broken. Anyone with information about the suspect or the vehicle used in the break-in should contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Detective Division at (704) 736-8856 or Crimestoppers at (704) 736-8909.

Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln County may pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in any crime.