PELHAM — R&B Superette on Bridge Street was burglarized for the second time in less than six months, police said yesterday.
A store clerk arrived at the store just after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. He told police he deactivated the alarm and entered the building. Once inside, he heard a loud crash, grabbed the phone, left the store and called 911, police said.
Officers arrived shortly thereafter, but the burglar or burglars had fled. Police said they believe the burglar or burglars entered the building through a boarded-up window on the north side of the store, and then fled through a nearby emergency exit.
Approximately $1,000 in cash was taken, according to police.
Lt. Brian McCarthy characterized it as a crime of desperation. The side of the store that was entered faces Pulpit Rock Road, which has fairly heavy traffic at that time of day, he said, and the sun was up, too.
"Somebody was really rolling the dice to get into that business," McCarthy said.
The store also was burglarized on July 24, at which time several cases of cigarettes and about $1,100 in cash were stolen. That time, the burglars entered through a loading dock door, police said. They left two pairs of tin snips behind, which likely were used to gain entry.
Last month, Ray's Stateline Market on Mammoth Road was entered, also through a rear loading dock door.
An audible alarm activated in that case and apparently frightened the intruders off before anything was taken, police said then.
At the time of that break-in, McCarthy said detectives believed there was a connection between that crime and the R&B burglary in July.
He said the methods used were the same and surveillance video showed suspects dressed in similar clothing.
Yesterday, he said police aren't sure the three break-ins are connected. Tuesday's burglary was done in daylight, while the other two were during the dead of night.
"We're unsure at this time. We're still following up some leads," McCarthy said. "Last time, it was a no-brainer. This time it was a different point of entry. The timing was different. Whoever did this wasn't aware the store opened at 6:30."
Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call Pelham police at 635-2411.
