A North Laurel store was struck early Tuesday by burglars who just dropped in -- literally.

About 3: 30 a.m., burglars cut a hole in the roof of the High's store in the 9100 block of All Saints Road, entered and set off an automatic teller machine alarm system, Howard County police said.

The burglars fled without stealing anything, police said.

The same burglars are suspected of entering a nearby Whiskey Bottom Liquors store Nov. 26, police said. The intruders dropped in there as well, police said, and stole nothing.

Police are distributing fliers warning merchants to report anything suspicious, double-check their lights and install motion detectors or other alarm systems.

Pub Date: 12/10/98