A Racine man stole cigarettes from two convenience stores in late August, police say.
Matthew J. Konwent, 37, is charged with two counts of burglary for the Aug. 28 and 29 incidents. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint:
Police were sent to Open Pantry, 2731 Durand Ave., at 1:20 a.m. Aug. 28 when the burglar alarm went off. Officers found the front window smashed out, with trays of cigarettes on the floor.
The store manager said 12 packs of Newport cigarettes were missing. He gave police video that showed the break-in.
At 1:50 a.m. Aug. 29 police were called to the SF Food Market, 1347 Lathrop Ave., where the front door was smashed in. That store also had a video recording of the incident, where Newport cigarettes were again taken.
Also early that morning an officer found a truck matching the one shown in the Aug. 28 surveillance video, and pursued it at high speeds, but terminated the chase when it became too dangerous.
The criminal complaint states Konwent has a crack cocaine addiction.
Konwent is in custody on a $3,500 cash bond; he is due in court Sept. 30 for a preliminary hearing.