Suspect sought in tavern break-ins

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The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a break-in early Sunday at The Stable Pub & Grub tavern in Barnard.

Sheriff’s Detective Zach Long said Wednesday the burglary occurred sometime after 2:30 a.m. and wasn’t discovered until after 9 o’clock that same morning.

The establishment was closed for the night and deserted when the thief forced entry through a back door that had been secured with a board.

Once inside, the suspect broke into a pool table, ATM machine and an Internet jukebox, escaping with an undetermined amount of money.

Damage to all three machines was described as significant.

Long said authorities have reason to believe the thief may be the same person who committed similar break-ins in Marceline, a small town on the border of Chariton and Linn counties in north central Missouri, and Sweet Springs, another small community in Saline County 85 miles to the south.

Both towns are about 150 miles southeast of Maryville.

While officers have not identified a suspect, Long said they are working to assemble a description, and that the circumstances surrounding all three incidents are similar.

Photographs posted on Facebook purport to show the suspect, but Long said the pictures, apparently taken by a concealed camera, were not shot at the Barnard tavern and may or may not contain images of the person authorities are seeking.

Long said he has been in contact with officers from jurisdictions in which the other burglary sites are located.

Because the thefts were tied to break-ins, Long said the suspect, if apprehended, will face felony charges regardless of how little money was taken.

A community of just more than 200 people, Barnard is located on Route M about 15 miles south of Maryville. The Stable is on the west side of town at 424 4th St.