Saturday got off to a smashing start for two Halifax-area businesses, but not in a good way.

At 4 a.m., Steve's Hydroponics on Sackville Drive in Lower Sackville had its front entrance smashed in by a vehicle, but nothing was taken from the store.

About 30 minutes later, a vehicle was also used to break the front window at Better Buy Sports in Dartmouth.

“At this time, it looked like several weapons had been stolen,” said Halifax Regional Police Staff Sgt. Bill Morris.

Morris says the guns were properly stored at Better Buy Sports.

“They had trigger locks on them. They were in a locked safe area,” he said.

Police say the two incidents are connected.

At around 6 a.m., RCMP arrested a 38-year-old man on foot on Magazine Hill. He was spotted wearing dark clothing.

Morris says the man is known to police.

RCMP seized five handguns from the suspect, which they say were all from Better Buy Sports.

Police also found the vehicle used to damage the storefronts in a parking lot on Windmill Road, about half a kilometre away from Better Buy Sports.

The investigation is continuing and the man will remain in custody until a court appearance later this week.