Burglars knock hole in brick wall to gain store access

LEESBURG — Burglars knocked a hole through a brick wall and cut through a walk-in cooler to gain entry into the Citgo convenience store/gas station on U.S. Highway 82 in Leesburg.

Officials believe burglars used a sledgehammer and a grinder to gain access into the establishment.

“It happened around 4:23 a.m. Tuesday morning,” said store manager Patty Clanton. “They came around back of the store and used a sledgehammer to bust a hole in the brick wall and then cut through the cooler. They cut the security lines, and then they tried to get into the ATM machine, busted open the slot machines and cut open the safe. They knew what they were doing.”

According to Clanton, the thieves took the security DVD but apparently dropped it on the way out. Investigators from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office believe four individuals were involved after viewing the surveillance footage.

“They did quite a bit of damage,” said Clanton. “Because of the grinder they used to cut open the safe and cooler, all of the dust it created, the health inspector is making us replace all soft-package items like bread, candy and cigarettes. They stole a bunch of cigarettes, too, and cut a hole through the wall to the office. I don’t know why they did that. The door to the office was unlocked.”

Store officials estimate the damage, along with the stolen merchandise and money, to be around $20,000.

Owner Steve Whatley of Cuthbert said, “It is a very difficult situation that we are dealing with, and we’re going to do everything we can to prevent it from happening again.”

The incident remains under investigation, and anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at (229) 759-6052.