On Thursday morning, the Greene County Sheriff's Department said it had a man and a woman in custody for as many as 50 burglaries and thefts at businesses in several counties over the past month. Officers were searching for a second man.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott said in a news release that the burglaries were in about "30 locations in at least 23 cities and small towns across southwest Missouri and as far away as Jefferson City." In Greene County, Arnott said, the businesses are in Fair Grove, Strafford and Republic.

The "smash-and-grab" break-ins all fit the same pattern, Arnott said. Three people in one vehicle went to businesses late at night when they were closed. They smashed out the front window or door glass and rushed in, stole the cash register or cash box, and got away with hundreds of dollars in cash.

One of the break-ins that fit the pattern was at Big O Tires in Marshfield last week.

“I got here and the police were already here. I walked straight through the window they blew out, seeing there was glass all over the showroom,” said manager Chris Towler.

In the middle of the night, the thieves broke in and grabbed the cash drawer with $240 in it.

“It was actually sitting right here. They knew exactly where it was. I guarantee they'd been in here before,” said Towler.

Arnott said the targets were usually garages or smaller stores like tire shops.

“A couple of our vendors that deliver us tires said the one in Fair Grove was hit, and there was a little mom and pop oil change spot in Strafford that was hit,” said Towler.

In almost every case, the thieves broke out the glass in a door or window. At Big O, they threw a cinder block through this window. It was found the next morning, lying in the middle of the showroom floor.

“You've got to add in the damage to the window, damage to the cash register, and all that, so it was a significant thing to small businesses,” said Arnott.

It's an evil blow, especially when the economy keeps business slow.

“It's pretty bad,” said Towler.

“We are going to seek restitution for the victims to make them pay back what they took,” the sheriff said.

One probable cause statement against Spence says investigators believe he and two other people threw a rock through the front window of Performance Cycle, 2926 E. U.S. 60 in Republic, and stole the cash drawer with about $150 in it. The second probable cause statement says investigators believe the trio threw a rock through the front window of tanning salon Sunny Bunz, 738 E. Hines St. in Republic, and stole a cash register with about $150 in it.

That statement says a woman voluntarily went to the Greene County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday and admitted she and two men broke into the businesses, stole the money and threw the cash drawer and cash register in a ditch.

That interview led to the arrest of Spence, according to the probable cause statement. A Republic detective says Spence admitted to the burglary at Performance Cycle. The statement also indicates Spence and the woman admitted to many more burglaries. The detective said Spence said "he was paid half of the money from the burglaries for being a 'driver' because he is a 'street racer.'"