Lincoln County authorities are investigating burglaries of threecounty schools and a business that happened sometime Thursdaynight.

Sheriff’s departmetn Investigator Lance Falvey said theburglaries at Loyd Star, West Lincoln and Bogue Chitto attendancecenters were reported when school officials arrived Friday morning.A burglary at Southern Welding on Industrial Park Road was alsoreported Friday morning.

Falvey did not say if the burglaries were connected. It was notclear if the burglaries were committed by the same person or agroup of people.

“It’s just not knowable now,” Falvey said Friday.

A vending machine was robbed at Loyd Star, Falvey said. At WestLincoln, the gymnasium was broken into and various buildings atBogue Chitto were burglarized.

Falvey said an investigation of the business and schoolburglaries is continuing.

“We’re still checking to determine what items were taken,”Falvey said.

Falvey did not say if the burglaries were connected in any wayto an early Friday morning shooting in which Airport Pik & Pakowner John Deere was killed during an armed robbery at the store atthe intersection of Industrial Park Road and Old Highway 51.

“We’re not ruling that out, but we have no direct evidence toconnect the burglaries to that incident,” Falvey said.

Anyone with information on the burglaries was asked contactCrime Stoppers at 823-0150. Falvey said a cash award is availablefor tips that lead to an arrest.