Rocky Mount police and fire officials are looking for a suspect accused of breaking into a local pawn shop, pilfering items and starting a fire in the store.

According to police reports, the owner of M&T Pawn Shop arrived around 7:30 a.m. Monday to an open front door at the store on the 1800 block of Sunset Avenue and light smoke hanging in the air. He called police who quelled most of the blaze with fire extinguishers while firefighters cleared the rest of the smoke out and ensured the fire had not spread, officials said. Interim Fire Marshal Robbie Pate said the fire damage was relatively minimal, but the origin and cause of the fire are suspicious.

Video surveillance from the store indicates the suspect broke into the business sometime Saturday night and broke in multiple times before allegedly setting the fire Monday morning, Rocky Mount police Cpl. Mike Lewis said. Investigators are working to determine what all was stolen from the store.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Tim Bunt at 972-1478 or 822-2769 or Crime Stoppers at 977-1111 or crimestoppers@rockymountnc.gov.