Key electronic voter logs used in the Georgia special election to fill a vacant Congressional seat were swiped from the pickup truck of a poll worker during a grocery run, according to a police report obtained by Fox News.

The theft of early voting check-in books has raised the specter of fraud in the hotly contested race to fill the state's sixth district seat left open when Tom Price was named Health and Human Services secretary. Tuesday is election day, but thousands of voters took part in early voting.

Democrats are pouring resources to back 30-year-old Jon Ossoff's bid to flip a formerly solid red zone in what could be a symbolic blow to President Donald Trump. Ossoff has emerged as the frontrunner in a crowded field, but needs to top 50 percent to avoid a runoff on June 20.

“The theft could just be a random thing, but the timing makes it much more worrisome."

- Jason Shepherd, chairman of the Cobb County GOP

The books that were stolen on April 15, the day after early voting ended in Cobb County, were so-called 'E poll' books used by elections officials to check-in voters at the polls. The books, which resemble computer tablets, store information ofn voters, maps, and polling site reports. They have signature pads that enable poll workers to compare new signatures with those on record.

In this Feb. 10, 2017, file photo, Democratic candidate for Georgia's 6th congressional district Jon Ossoff poses for a portrait in Atlanta. Candidates for a special congressional election in Georgia are demonstrating that Republican squabbling extends well beyond Capitol Hill, while their leading Democratic rival rakes in more than $8 million in campaign cash and eyes an upset that would send ripples through Washington ahead of the 2018 midterms. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) Expand / Contract

Ossoff is the favorite to win the primary, but needs to top 50 percent to avoid a runoff. (Associated Press)

The Cobb County Police Department, which is heading up the investigation, provided the police report to Fox News in response to a Georgia Open Records request. Poll manager, Craig Joe Rogers, 60 of Marietta, told police he parked his Ford F-250 Super Duty near the front of a Kroger supermarket in Marietta. 

Rogers bought groceries and returned to his car to find thousands of dollars' worth of elections equipment missing. There were no signs of forced entry, and Rogers admitted he may have left the doors unlocked.

A responding Cobb County police officer viewed surveillance video from the supermarket and stated in the report, “A dark gray colored Dodge Charger or Chrysler 300 drove through the lanes in the parking lot. It appears that someone gets out of the Charger/Chrysler vehicle and goes into the victim’s vehicle. The suspect then gets into his vehicle and leaves the scene.”

FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2016, file Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. An orthopedic surgeon elected in 2004, Price has long been a conservative critic of Obamacare, arguing instead for as little government involvement as possible. He applies the same idea to criticisms of Medicare, the government insurance programs for older Americans, and Medicaid, government insurance for the poor and disabled. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Expand / Contract

The election is to fill the seat vacated by Tom Price, who was named the Trump administration's secretary of Health and Human Services. (Associated Press)

The police report notes there was another auto break-in down the street at the Marietta fish market around the same time.

“We have opened an investigation, and we are taking steps to ensure that it has no effect on the election," said Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp. "I am confident that the results will not be compromised.”

“It is unfortunate timing,” agreed Michael Owens, chairman of the Cobb County Democrats. “But I do not believe this is targeted. I don’t believe it will have any impact on the election results. Was someone literally tracking poll managers? I highly doubt it.”

Kemp’s office has been critical of the Cobb County officials for not informing the Secretary of State until two days after the incident.

“It is ridiculous that they waited to notify our office,” said Kemp’s press secretary, Candice Broce. “We should have been one of the first calls that they made after the theft occurred. We are always accessible to county elections officials, even on the weekends.”