By David Eck
Enquirer Contributor

FAIRFIELD - Authorities haven't established any links yet, but police in several Butler County communities are investigating a rash of business break-ins between Thursday and Tuesday, as many small businesses closed for the Memorial Day holiday.

West Chester had seven businesses either vandalized or broken into, and Fairfield police are dealing with 15 incidents. There were three such reports filed in Hamilton.

"Most of these were discovered as the business owners or managers came in" after the long holiday weekend, Colburn said. "A lot of people took the Friday off. "Our detectives from all the departments get together and share information," Fairfield Police Lt. Ken Colburn said.

Six of the Fairfield offenses close to each other, while the rest were scattered around town. The people involved forced their way into the closed businesses by prying their way in, breaking a window, cutting a hole in metal siding or even entering one business and then breaking through the wall to an adjoining establishment.

"There's a little bit of everything in terms of method," Colburn said.

The thieves often took whatever they could grab, including a cash register in one case, Colburn said. The register was found nearby, though.

In West Chester, most of the offenses occurred on the west side of the township along the Ohio 747 corridor, West Chester Police Sgt. Erik Niehaus said.

The thieves got away with several thousand dollars worth of merchandise, including four wheel rims worth $1,280 from a tire store.

"These are all closed businesses," Niehaus said. "Any business that was open every day they would catch it the next morning.''

A father and son were arrested late Friday night while allegedly preparing to break into a Fairfield boat shop, but police say they can't say whether they were responsible for any of the others.

Cedric D. Roivanen, 62, and Darren C. Roivanen, 37, both of Minnesota, are charged with breaking and entering and possession of criminal tools, Fairfield Police Lt. Ken Colburn said.

The two were found late Friday night by police outside of Bain's Anchor Marine at 3240 Homeward Way. A passerby noticed something suspicious and alerted an officer. The two were arraigned in Fairfield Municipal Court and are free on bond.

A father and son are facing charges after police say the two were arrested while preparing to break into a Fairfield boat shop.

Cedric D. Roivanen, 62, and Darren C. Roivanen, 37, both of Minnesota, are charged with breaking and entering and possession of criminal tools, Colburn said.

The two were found late Friday night by police outside of Bain's Anchor Marine at 3240 Homeward Way. A passerby noticed something suspicious and alerted an officer. The two were arraigned in Fairfield Municipal Court and are free on bond.

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E-mail daveck@fuse.net