Officers Investigating Dollar Store Burglary

Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Officers are investigating a burglary at the Dollar General Store on Hwy 64 in Ben Wheeler. This is the sixth time that a Dollar General Store has been broken into since May 14.

"Stores in Forney, Athens, Canton, Wills Point and Ben Wheeler have all been hit. The store in Ben Wheeler has been hit twice," said Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Randy Vasquez.

Vasquez said that in all incidents the front doors of the stores had been damaged which is how the thieves gained entry.

"These thieves are trying to get into the store offices to get money out of the safes but they haven’t been able to do that yet," said Vasquez.

Vasquez said that a couple of the stores have had small miscellaneous items stolen.

The latest break-in at the Ben Wheeler store occurred on Monday, June 23 sometime before 5 a.m.

"Store employees left the building about 10 p.m. on the night before and the store manager arrived back at the store around 5 a.m.," said Vasquez.

Vasquez said that anyone possibly seeing a vehicle or something suspicious in the area at that time should call the sheriff’s office or crimestoppers.

"If you remember seeing something out of place or something strange during that time, please give us a call," said Vasquez.

Anyone with information can call the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office at 903-567-4133 or Van Zandt County Crimestoppers at 903-567-STOP.