3 suspects elude police after break-in at Mt. Holly pawn shop

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. — Police in Gaston County are investigating an overnight break-in at a pawn shop.

Officers told Channel 9 that two men broke into the Mount Holly Gun and Pawn on Henry Street around 2:45 a.m.

Investigators said the suspects broke down a metal door to get inside but were able to escape after police arrived.

WATCH raw video from the scene:

Once they arrived on the scene, Mount Holly officers saw two men inside the store and another man in a dark green Honda Accord across the street.

Police said then that the two men inside the store fled, with one suspect running away while the other got in the Honda with the driver and sped off.

Officers chased the Honda north on Highway 273 to Highway 27 and into Charlotte but called off the pursuit near Interstate 485 for safety concerns.

A K-9 unit from the Gastonia Police Department was used to try to track the suspect who ran from the store, but was not able to find him.

Investigators told Channel 9 that nothing appears to have been taken from the store during the break-in and that the Honda was reported stolen after the incident.

Police are working to recover surveillance video from the scene. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Mount Holly officers are working with ATF and other agencies to determine if this incident may be related to other recent crimes in the area.

The break-in comes about a week after a Lowell gun shop was robbed. Those suspects were never caught.

Police told Channel 9 they are looking into the possibility that the break-in is connected to another burglary at a Mount Holly business over the weekend. That crime happened at PC Place on Westland Farm Road, about 10 minutes from the pawn shop.

Police have not said what the burglar stole in that case.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

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