Police looking for Dollar General break-in suspects

Police looking for Dollar General break-in suspects

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor

HART — Two male juvenile suspects are being sought by police in connection to a breaking and entering of the Dollar General store on State Street in the City of Hart and a car break-in on Water Road in Hart Township.

Hart police officers responded to the scene at Dollar General shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7. 

“They broke the front window to the business,” said Hart Police Chief Juan Salazar. “They made entry, but as soon as the alarm went off, they ran back out. So, nothing was stolen.”

There are two male suspects believed to be juveniles who were on foot. One was wearing a gator style mask over his face.

“We did have the sheriff department’s K-9 come out, and they tracked the suspects to Dryden Street, but we pretty much lost the track from there.”

The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office was called to a crime scene on Water Road in Hart Township about an hour and a half before police were dispatched to the Dollar General break-in. 

“It is probably the same suspect in the Dollar General B&E,” said Det. Mark Hiddema of the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office. “We believe it’s related to the Dollar General B&E. It looks like a juvenile subject who broke into a car at the house; went through the car; and then left.”

The suspect photo was taken from surveillance video at the home where the car break-in occurred.

“We believe theirs was connected with ours,” said Chief Salazar. Due to the time frame of the offenses, it is consistent with the distances between the two crime scenes. 

Anyone with information about the car break-in is asked to contact Det. Hiddema 231-873-6772. Anyone with information about the Dollar General break-in, can call the Hart Police Department at 231-873-2488. Citizens with information may also call Mason-Oceana County Central Dispatch at (231) 869-5858.

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