CENTER TWP — State police believe they have solved a rash of recent burglaries that plagued a number of businesses on Route 8.

Troopers on the watch for the burglar July 9 nabbed Donald J. Stewart, 33, of Center Township, who was on his way to strike again, according to court documents.

Stewart remains in the Butler County Prison on charges he broke into the A Bella Salon earlier this month.

However, he is suspected of burglarizing five other stores — some more than once — in the same business corridor that includes the 1600 and 1700 blocks of North Main Street Extension, also known as Route 8, Cpl. Robert Donaldson said Monday.

Donaldson noted that police expected to charge Stewart with the other break-ins “in the next two to three days.”

Along with the A Bella Salon, he is a suspect in burglaries at A-1 Twice Loved Appliances, China Gourmet, Jiffy Mart, Prima Capelli Salon and Rogers Dairy Queen.

The break-ins happened between June 29 and July 2, police said. Some of the stores were burglarized more than once.

“He was looking for items he could get quick money for,” Donaldson said of Stewart. “He took money from some of the stores.”

Investigators suspect Stewart's drug habit was the motive for the crime spree.

Troopers were on patrol in the business corridor about 2:30 a.m. Thursday when they spotted a man whose choice of clothing was particularly suspicious for the summer.

The man, later identified as Stewart, was wearing a black sweat shirt with the hood pulled over his head, gloves and a neck warmer, according to court documents.

He also was carrying a rubber mallet.

Troopers interviewed him at the barracks. Stewart, who lives on nearby Sunset Drive, admitted that he had walked from his house“with the intent to burglarize a business” before police stopped him.

Investigators asked him if he was responsible for any of the unsolved burglaries. The only one he admitted to, police said, was at the A Bella Salon.

The hair salon was broken into overnight July 1 or 2.

Police called to investigate the crime found the glass window on the front door shattered and the cash register missing. The register had about $200 in it.

Stewart admitted he smashed the glass window on the door to get inside, documents said. But once in, he was unable to open the register so he took the whole machine.

He told police that he ran back to his house and used a hammer to break open the register, which he later discarded in the woods in back of his house.

He led troopers to where he had thrown the register.

Donaldson declined to discuss the evidence police have gathered that they say connects Stewart to the other burglaries. But he acknowledged that the manner of the crimes was similar.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton arraigned Stewart on charges of burglary, trespass, theft, receiving stolen property, possessing an instrument of crime and criminal mischief, in the A Bella Salon break-in.

He is in prison on $50,000 bail.