Two charges after Lawton liquor store break-in

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8568-2-500x364169223-1

Two suspects are charged after police say they stole more than $5,000 of merchandise from a store near Lawton. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department says deputies were sent to MEGA Liquor and Smoke in Porter Township around 1:30 a.m. Thursday when the alarm went off. They arrived to find two suspects had broken into the store and made off with $3,000 in merchandise. During the investigation, police determined the same two suspects had stolen about $2,300 in merchandise from the same store about ten days earlier, while the store was open. Evidence from the scene and tips from the public led police to the suspects. They’ve been identified as a 21-year-old and a 17-year-old, both from Lawton. Both suspects admitted to the crimes as well as a break-in at a store in Cass County. They’re both facing several charges that include breaking and entering.