Two Washington convenience stores burglarized over weekend

{child_flags:editors_pick}Multiple burglaries reported at city stores
{child_byline}By Kathie O. Warco
Staff writer
kwarco@observer-reporter.com
{/child_byline}
Two Washington convenience stores were burglarized over the weekend, one of them twice after also being broken into late last month.
The Exxon (Mega Express) at the corner of Ridge and Murtland avenues was broken into early Saturday and again early Sunday. The store was also burglarized June 27. All three times the store was entered through a hole created when ductwork was removed on the side of the building.
The Uni-Mart, 500 N. Main St., also was broken into early Sunday.
An employee at the Exxon told police about 6 a.m. Saturday he found the register drawers for the store and lottery machine open. Police, after reviewing surveillance, said it appears the burglar put a ladder against a cooler to crawl out of the store.
Found on ductwork outside the store were two packs of Newport cigarettes and scratch-off lottery tickets. Additional tickets and cigarettes were stolen from the store.
On Sunday, police were alerted by a register motion alarm at 1:07 a.m. The owner was notified and came to the building. Surveillance determined a black man wearing dark clothing and white shoes had entered the store, walking around a soft drink cooler.
He then tried unsuccessfully to remove a cash register drawer. He then walked back around a cooler and climbed onto a walk-in cooler to crawl out of the store.
Lottery tickets, cash and cigarettes were reportedly stolen from the store.
An employee of Uni-Mart called city police about 7 a.m Sunday after she found the front glass door had been shattered and saw a lottery machine on the floor. The only thing stolen was the lottery cash drawer and four quarters that were inside of it.
Lt. Dan Stanek said it is likely the three burglaries are connected. Police will be checking surveillance at the businesses.
Anyone with information on any of the burglaries is asked to call police at 724-223-4226.