Tulsa police: Man threw rock into grocery store, stole donation boxes

TULSA - Tulsa police kept close watch over several east side businesses in recent weeks following a string of burglaries.

Early Friday morning, investigators made a potential break in the case.

Police say they saw a man break into a Hispanic grocery store near 11th and Garnett around 1 a.m. by throwing a rock into a glass window.

Shortly after entering, the man left the store with donation boxes filled with money meant for people suffering from illnesses.

An officer then took off after the suspect, who led him on a brief foot chase. The man, later identified as 24-year-old Robert Conklin, was taken into Tulsa police custody with several cuts believed to have incurred during the burglary.

A second man was also arrested, but not for the burglaries. He was taken into custody for unrelated warrants and was with the burglary suspect prior to the incident.

Police were going to interview the two men to figure out if they are connected to the prior string of robberies in the area.

Conklin now faces several charges, including second-degree burglary.

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