Staff Writer

Downtown business owners are being advised not to leave cash in the office at night after two more break-ins were reported Tuesday , including an insurance office struck for the second time in less than a week.

Lynn Burnett of Correll Insurance on 311 West Main St. told Cpl. Tommy Hart with the Union Public Safety Department she came to work Tuesday morning and found the back door had been broken into.

Hart went in and found several desk drawers and file cabinet drawers open.

Nothing was believed to be missing at the time of the report. Damage was estimated at $100.

The initial break-in at the business was discovered Friday morning. A back door glass was broken. Blood was found in the front office and back porch area where the glass was broken. The electric meter was pulled and the telephone line was cut. An undisclosed amount of money was taken.

Also on Tuesday, a break-in was discovered at the office of Dr. William Weber on 216 South Mountain St.

Dental assistant April Fleming told PFC Dell Mitchell she came to work and found the front secretary's desk drawers were open. a child's white sock was lying in the bottom tray of the drawer.

A window had been broken out in a back room of the office. A phone line had been cut. An employee said 50 cents was missing.

Hyder's Barber Shop on 235 South Gadberry downtown was broken into on June 19.

The owner told PSO Mike Gregory he came to work and saw the front door had been damaged. When he came in he found drawers had been pulled out and their contents dumped on the floor. The owner said he had no power and Gregory found the meter had been pulled from its base. Nothing was thought to be missing at the time of the report.

On June 13, the owner of Unique Images on 225 West Main St. told Officer Curtis Eubanks she came to work and found her shop had been broken into. Drawers also were dumped out, change and edgers were stolen and a hair dryer was stolen.

Chief Sam White said authorities believe the break-ins are related. He said officers are advising business owners to take cash to the bank after closing hours.

“I wouldn't even leave 50 cents in the cash register,” he said. “The bank is the safest place for your money.”

White pointed out that money might not even be secure in a safe at a business. Last year, someone broke into Union Oil Mill, broke open the safe and got away with cash.

Public input is being sought to solve the break-ins.

“If anyone notices anything suspicious at night, people walking around or rambling, let us know,” White said. “If anybody has information or ideas, we would love to hear from them.”

Anyone with information on the break-ins is asked to call the public safety department at 429-1713 or Union County Crime Stoppers at 427-0800. A reward may be given for information leading to an arrest in the case.