Burglary costs Macon store $100K in rare comics

Rare comic books valued at about $100,000 were taken during the burglary of a north Macon store early Thursday, authorities said.

Four men wearing masks, long-sleeve shirts and gloves were caught on surveillance footage entering Comics Plus, at 4007 Northside Drive, and taking the store's safe.

They left through the back door of the store with the safe on a cart and exited the surveillance camera's line of sight, according to a report from the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.

The safe itself was valued at $600, but the suspects also got 20 comic books -- graded by a certified guaranty company -- with an initial estimated value of $100,000, the sheriff's report said.

Will Peavy, the owner of Comics Plus, told WMAZ-TV that the burglars used a crowbar to get in, then ripped out and cut wires to the alarm system. The store's safe contained $2,200 in cash, he said.

Among the comic books taken were the first eight copies of "Justice League of America" from 1963 and rare issues of "X-Men."

The burglary was discovered by a utility worker who noticed the front door had been pried open.

Peavy was contacted by the responding Bibb County sheriff's deputy, and he made surveillance footage available. Video from a camera at Food Depot, which is in the same shopping center, was also used.

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Burglary costs Macon store $100K in rare comics ."