Police say burglars break into grocery store looking for drugs and money

CANTON, Ga. - Bold burglars break into a grocery store looking for drugs and money.  It happened at the Publix in Canton before 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Canton Police said they went into a vacant retail space next door to the Publix and smashed a hole in the wall. They crawled through and came out in the bakery section of the Publix.

“When they made entry through the hole, they shimmied across the floor on their bellies and made it to the room where the alarm system was and disabled it,” said Canton Police Officer Pacer Cordry.

Canton Police showed FOX 5 News surveillance photos of two men dressed all in black with masks and gloves going through the store’s safe. Police said they also grabbed numerous bottles of narcotics from the pharmacy. 

Police said the crooks may have gotten away with it, but some employees arrived early, startled them, and the two took off running out the back door. Police said they dropped their backpacks filled with drugs and cash and tools used in the break-in. 

A driver making a delivery saw two men run toward the woods behind the store.

“We called for Cherokee County K-9  for assistance, but our officers and the K-9’s were unable to locate them,” said Officer Cordry.

Tim Lawson who works next door said he’s relieved things didn’t turn violent when the employees interrupted the crime.

‘I’m just glad they didn’t’ have weapons, because I know a lot of people who work there, and no one got hurt,” said Lawson.

Detectives are working with other agencies who have had similar burglaries to see if any of them are connected.