A burglary at a local optometrist’s office Tuesday night was thethird break-in at a medical office in recent weeks, Brookhavenpolice officials said Thursday.

Assistant Police Chief Nolan Jones said the Tuesday nightburglary at Smith Optometry, in which a safe, a computer and otheritems were taken, is not necessarily the work of the same people astwo earlier break-ins. Yet, he said, whether or not the three arerelated is undetermined.

Jones said on Oct. 25, employees of Southern Foot Care reporteda burglary they found at 8:43 a.m.

“There was a computer taken out of there, and other officeequipment,” he said. “No narcotics were taken.”

There was no sign of forced entry at Southern Foot Care, Jonessaid. The situation is similar to Smith Optometry, where Smithemployees said the door was pried open, but was carefully lockedback before the burglar left.

The second burglary took place Nov. 1 at the Medical ArtsBuilding, where Jones said entry was made by a back outer door.Once inside the building, the burglar or burglars hit severaldoctors’ offices, he said.

“One of the employees had come to the office to get somethingthey’d left there and they noticed it was broken into,” hesaid.

Jones said two computers and other office items, as well as asmall amount of petty cash, were taken.

Jones said at this point the crimes are under investigation, andofficials are digging through evidence to see if there are anyconnections.

Meanwhile, a storage shed office building on Highway 51 wasbroken into on Tuesday night, and a computer was taken there aswell. Jones said inventory is being done on that office todetermine if anything else was stolen.

In addition, the concession stand at the baseball field on DruryLane was also hit Tuesday night, and a small amount of change wastaken. The stand was also vandalized, Jones said.

Jones said if anyone in the public knows anything about theburglaries, they are urged to call the Brookhaven Police Departmentat 601-833-2424, or Lincoln County Crimestoppers at601-823-0150.