When attempts to open a store cash register failed, a thief settled for some lottery tickets instead. This occurred in one of two recent smash-and-grab heists reported to police.

Moultrie Police were alerted at about 6 a.m. Friday of a damaged window at Enmark, 915 First Ave. S.E. The investigation indicated that the burglar broke a window and attempted to open the cash register.

“He was trying to push all the buttons to see if he could get something to work,” Moultrie Police Department Inv. Raul Leal said. “Finally he reached up and grabbed some lottery tickets and pulled on them. He pulled out the whole roll and ran out.”

The theft netted 10 Georgia Lottery tickets, he said. Stores keep track of lottery tickets, and in cases of theft they are immediately invalidated by the lottery.

A cash register also was targeted in a burglary that was discovered at opening time on Friday, but in that instance the thief took the entire safe. 

Police were dispatched at about 8:05 a.m. to Tropical Sun Tanning, 210-B 10th St. S.E., where an employee reported a break-in.

Police said that the safe and about $19 it contained were taken.

Both burglaries remain under investigation.

In other burglaries:

• Matthew Bridges, 900 block Second Street Southeast, reported Friday the theft of an AR-15 rifle, Smith & Wesson pistol, fishing pole and an air gun with a total value of $2,000.

• Rosa DeMott, of  Moultrie, reported Friday a break-in at her daughter’s residence Julia DeMott who was absent.

Rosa DeMott told police she did not know whether anything was taken.

A back window was broken to gain entry, police said.

• Brittany Wilson, 2200 block West Boulevard, reported Friday the theft of an electronics item of unknown value.

Sheriff’s Office

• Don Scott, 1200 block Porter Street, reported Monday the theft of a change jar and a green hunting bag inside it containing shooting supplies.

Scott described the jar, which was valued at $51 and stolen out of a shed, as cream-colored with fly fishing lures painted on the sides. 

• Ashley Hobgood, 600 block Bonnie Tuk Road, reported Monday the theft of six Abu Garcia open face reels and rods, a number of Old Timer knives and cases and fishing lures.

Hobgood told police that after finding the air conditioner running in son James Hobgood’s camper she investigated and found that it had been ransacked. She did not know the value of the stolen property.

Arrests

Moultrie Police

• Henry Ashley Wallace, 44, 1407 Third St. S.E., was charged Friday with misdemeanor forgery.

Probation violation

Moultrie Police

• Cicely Sidney Wheeler, 35, 384 East Gate Circle, Norman Park.

• Jonathan Jermain Revill, 37.

Thefts

Moultrie Police

• Deborah Crozier, 59, Athens, reported Saturday the theft of the tag from a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am while the car was parked in the 400 block of Hampton Way.

• Patsy Parks, 2400 block Fifth Street Southeast, reported Saturday the theft of a tote bag from her patio.

Parks valued the bag and contents at $70.

• Joy Giles, 51, Moultrie, reported Friday the theft of a wallet that she left inside a business in the 500 block of First Avenue Southeast.

She reported the value of the wallet and contents at $49.

• Norma-Jean Johnson, 600 block 26th Avenue Southeast, reported Friday the theft of a gold bracelet valued at $80.

Johnson told police that the bracelet apparently was taken while she was absent and a relative allowed a female acquaintance inside the residence.

• Annette Moore, 900 block Second Avenue Northwest, reported Friday the theft of a $40 out of her purse.

Moore told police she suspects that a daughter’s male acquaintance took the money, which was taken from her purse while she was at a neighbor’s residence.

Property damage

Moultrie Police

• An employee at Wal-Mart, 641 Veterans Parkway S., reported Saturday seeing a man break a “Rebel flag” off a blue SUV in the parking lot and throw the flag inside the truck.

• Marquetta Esther, 300 block Second Street Northwest, reported Saturday that a male acquaintance kicked the window of her 2004 Honda Accord causing it to break.

Esther told police that she did not wish to press charges.

• Eddie Lee Stafford, 32, Moultrie, reported Saturday that a 2000 Cadillac Deville was damaged while parked in the 1900 block of First Avenue Southeast.

Stafford told police that store video showed a blue Chevrolet truck backed into his car, with the driver then leaving.

• Edna Spradley, 2800 block Fifth Street Southeast, reported Friday hearing a banging sound outside and when she checked noticed that a neighbor’s window was broken.

Spradley told police that she first heart a dog barking before hearing the sound.

Christie Mock, the resident in the apartment where the damage occurred told police that she did not hear anything. After checking her apartment she said that nothing was missing.

• Robie Patterson, 800 block Ninth Avenue Southeast, reported Friday that a 2003 Chevrolet S-20 truck was damaged.

• Trevino Peterson, 1300 block Third Street Southeast, reported Friday that someone intentionally scratched a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Sheriff’s Office

• Winston Collins, 100 block Nell Avenue, reported Monday that the rear window of a Chevrolet Corvette was damaged.

• Roberto Cervantes, 900 block William Gibbs Road, Tifton, reported that two cars were damaged, apparently with bricks, over the weekend at his used car lot at 6516 U.S. 319 S., Omega.

Cervantes told police that someone broke the windshield of a 2007 Ford Mustang and that paint was chipped on the hood and passenger door. Damage to a Chrysler Town & Country included  a damaged windshield, and a 2004 Lincoln Navigator had scratches on it.

Cervantes found bricks next to the latter two cars.

• Melissa Vann, 400 block Baldree Road, Hartsfield, reported Monday that a Nissan Altima was scratched.

The car had scratches all over, with long scratches down both sides, 

Fraud

Moultrie Police 

• Commercial Banking Co., 635 Veterans Parkway N., reported Friday that a fraudulent check for $400 was dropped into a night deposit box the previous night.

The owner of the check, Stephanie Ross, arrived and told police that the check was stolen out of a car earlier and that the signatures on the front and back were not here. The account had been closed after the theft.

The check has the names of a man and woman and an address written on it, police said.