Area rural convenience and grocery stores are under siege by thieves, store owners said Tuesday.

Stores like Onycha Grocery and the Lake Grocery near Opp were reportedly burglarized over the last month.

The most recent was a late Monday night/early Tuesday morning hit on Rose Hill Grocery. Reported to law enforcement by a Star-News employee delivering morning papers, the thieves reportedly used a piece of curbing to smash the front door, taking the cash drawer and blank checks. Storeowners said it was the second incident of its nature to happen.

Chief Deputy David Anderson said investigators are currently working on each of the break-ins.

“We’ve talked with several witnesses, and we’re in the process of following up on leads, but there’s nothing we can really release yet,” Anderson said.

Emily Dorsey, owner of Onycha Grocery, said the store’s door was shot out a few weeks ago, and the store was hit again last Monday night/early Tuesday morning.

“My cook found it when she arrived, and the door was busted in, like with a hammer,” Dorsey said. “They had kicked in the bottom part; came in the store after busting out all the lights on the outside in front of the store.

“They stole all the rolled change from the cash drawer, and I’d happened to leave my wallet there that night, and they got it too,” she said.

Luckily, only the cash was taken and her debit and credit cards were unused, she said.

Dorsey didn’t disclose the exact of money taken, but said thieves did more than $500 in damages to the store.

“We’re working on installing video surveillance cameras and putting bars on the doors and windows,” she said. “My advice to owners of businesses like ours is this – do the same.”