The Wood County Sheriff's Department says deputies were called early Wednesday morning to two businesses south of Parkersburg.
At the Grand Slam Market on Gihon Road, they discovered the store was broken into, and an estimated 630 dollars worth of cigarettes were taken. Deputies also responded to an alarm at the Citgo/7-11 convenience store in Lubeck, to discover another break-in. An estimated $600 worth of cigarettes were stolen.
In both cases, the thefts involved the most popular, and most expensive brands, including Marlboro and Winston. Investigators believe the thefts might also be related to a recent increase in tobacco taxes in Ohio.
Both break-ins remain under investigation by the sheriff's department.
