THIEVES NET $6,300 IN LIQUOR

Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 1, 1992 TAG: 9201010207 SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: HOLIDAY SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY DATELINE: LENGTH: Short

THIEVES NET $6,300 IN LIQUOR
The holidays haven't been kind to the ABC store on Melrose Avenue in Northwest Roanoke. It was broken into over Christmas and again Monday night.
Thieves took $6,300 worth of liquor from the store in the two burglaries, officials said. About $5,000 worth of liquor was taken during the first break-in.
The ABC thefts are among seven burglaries since Dec. 21 at businesses between the 3000 and 4200 blocks of Melrose, Roanoke police said.
Roanoke police Sgt. Donald Walker called the burglaries "smash and grab" break-ins and said there were similarities among some of them.
The Star Market and Harris Automotive in the 3400 block were the first two businesses hit. Thieves took a truck from the automotive shop and drove it through a front window of the store, a worker at the market said.
In the ABC break-ins, the front door of the store was smashed both times.
"They weren't selective," said Patrick Campbell, district ABC supervisor. "They got the quickest thing they could get their hands on . . . got it and went."
According to police, the burglars used the store's hand trolley to bring cases of liquor to the front door for loading.
The Melrose store also was broken into in October, but arrests were made in that burglary and in one in October at the Williamson Road ABC store, Campbell said.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB