A Canton man caught inside the Dollar General Store in Canton around 3 a.m. Thursday has been tied to a Dec. 16 Dollar General burglary and faces multiple felony burglary charges after being apprehended by Canton police.

Police Chief James Santimaw, in a press release, said that at approximately 2:56 am, Canton police responded to a reported burglary alarm at Dollar General, located in the University Plaza on U.S. 11.

Carlton J. Franklin, 31, of 68 Riverside Drive, Apt. 1, was charged with three felony counts of third-degree burglary, and possession of Burglar Tools, said police. Additional charges are pending.

Franklin was arraigned before Canton Town Justice Hon. Michael Morgan and released to reappear on Jan. 22.

Upon arrival, officers observed a male individual inside of the store and detained him as he attempted to flee out of the rear door of the business, the chief said.

The resulting investigation determined that the suspect in this incident is the same suspect who conducted a similar burglary, also at the same Dollar General store, on the morning of Saturday, December 16. At the time of the initial burglary, the suspect pried open the rear door of the business, and cut through a wall (drywall) once inside, to enter the rear of the store to steal cigarettes, soda and other items over two, separate entries.

At Thursday’s incident, the suspect again pried open the rear door but did not have time to steal any product by the time officers arrived on scene. Burglar tools were seized from the scene, and additional evidence was secured that ties the two incidents together.

Canton Police were assisted by the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Department at both incidents at the Dollar General.