Police are investigating nearly identical break-ins that victimized a pair of north Lincoln businesses early Thursday morning, leaving behind tire tracks and thousands of dollars worth of damage.
In both instances, burglars rammed cars through the front glass before stealing vape, tobacco and alcohol products and fleeing before police arrived, Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian said.
The first burglary transpired at 5:14 a.m. Thursday, when an alarm call at Lincoln Vapor sent police to the smoke shop near 27th and Fairfield streets, Kocian said.
Officers found the front glass shattered and the store in disarray, Kocian said.
Surveillance footage showed burglars ram the front glass with a vehicle before reversing and rushing into the store, stealing $875 worth of vape products and money, Kocian said. The collision caused $8,500 in damage.
Less than an hour later, police responded to the Kwik Shop near 23rd Street and Cornhusker Highway, where officers found several broken windows and structural damage to the convenience store's south wall.
Burglars are thought to have stolen $220 worth of alcohol, vape and tobacco products from the store, Kocian said, adding that the dollar amount was an initial estimate and a full inventory hasn't been completed.
The apparent ramming of the gas station caused $10,000 in damage, said Kocian, who said the two break-ins "certainly appear" to be related but said the two couldn't be definitely tied to each other. The two stores are about a mile apart.
Police are still working to collect surveillance footage of the second break-in, Kocian said. Investigations into both burglaries are ongoing.