Downtown Fairfield business reports break-in

FAIRFIELD — A downtown business in Fairfield was broken into Friday morning, and police are asking for the public’s help to catch the perpetrator.

Fairfield Police officers responded to Hawkeye Smoke Shop on the east side of the Fairfield square after an alarm at the business sounded at 2:33 a.m. Friday. According to Fairfield Police Lt. Julie Kinsella, officers discovered that the outside pane of glass on the front door was shattered, but it did not appear that anyone had gained access to the building.

However, police were notified of a second alarm at 6:41 a.m., whereupon officers discovered the front door had been completely smashed in.

Bobbi Davis, an employee of Hawkeye Smoke Shop who has worked there for five months, was at the business Friday morning as employees of Ottumwa Glass replaced the front door. As customers approached the business, she informed them it was closed because of the break-in, but assured them the business would reopen later that day once the door was installed.

Davis said half of a brick was discovered at the far end of the business, what she suspects was used to break the glass door. Broken glass was all over the entrance of the store and on the sidewalk.

“The police officers who responded were very nice and professional,” Davis said. “The guys from [Ottumwa Glass] have been helping with the outside cleanup. They got a door and everything right away for us.”

Davis said the cash register’s record shows that someone purchased a cigar at 6:36 a.m., which allowed them to get into the cash register and take the money inside, about $140. She said that whoever broke into the business was probably familiar with cash registers.

The owners are still performing an inventory of goods to see what else might have been taken from the store.

Davis said the business has multiple cameras, and she hopes that reviewing them will allow police to identify the perpetrator.

Kinsella said the police department is asking downtown business owners and residents to turn in any security footage they have that could help identify the perpetrator of the break-in. The Fairfield Police Department can be reached at 641-472-4148.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com