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For the second time since late April, the 45 North Cannabis store in Turner has been targeted by thieves.

On Tuesday, the store owner reported that an overnight break-in had resulted in significant damage to the building, causing a brief closure of the business.

The same shop was the target of burglars in late April when two people forced their way into the building. The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office later released surveillance photos of the masked suspects, who were seen filling bags with stolen goods before fleeing in a white Toyota Highlander.

The Toyota had been reported stolen from a home in Livermore.

The owner of 45 North released additional surveillance photos after the Tuesday morning burglary. A video of the break-in reveals what appears to be two young men attacking the side of the building before crawling through a window.

Both suspects are masked and wearing hooded jackets. Again, police say the suspects fled in a vehicle that had been reported stolen, this one from the Augusta area.

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Images from a surveillance camera show two suspects preparing to break into 45 North Cannabis in Turner Tuesday morning. (Courtesy of 45 North Cannabis)

The stolen vehicle was later recovered by police in Augusta.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests had been made in the recent heists, although investigators said they believe the two break-ins are connected.

Anyone with information about the burglaries is asked to contact Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Cpl. Dylan Morin at [email protected] or to call dispatch at 207-753-2599.

The Turner area has been the site of several burglaries and attempted burglaries at both pot and gun stores.

In April, two Portland area teens were arrested in connection with a slew of burglaries at gun and marijuana stores in Turner and Sabattus earlier in the year.

The teens had been using stolen vehicles during those heists, police said. The teens were captured after police examined surveillance footage from area Flock cameras, GPS data from a stolen truck and video from security cameras at the Maine Mall in Portland.

The suspects, 16 and 17 years old, were taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, each charged with a dozen counts of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

Mark LaFlamme is a Sun Journal reporter and weekly columnist. He's been on the nighttime police beat since 1994, which is just grand because he doesn't like getting out of bed before noon. Mark is the...

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