Local Radar

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Two additional churches suffer thefts Wednesday

web posted January 18, 2007

JOHNSTON – The number of churches targeted by an unknown thief or thieves grew by two on Wednesday as a report of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church on Steeple Drive in Johnston being added as a victim. A church member reported one of the air conditioning units had been disassembled and all the copper tubing cut way leaving the unit useless. That was the fourth church reporting similar crimes since Saturday and by 8:40 pm Wednesday night deputies discovering another church struck increased the number to five.

In the latest theft only one of four units were targeted at Mt. Pleasant. Sheriff’s Chief Investigator Randy Doran said it is possible the person or persons responsible were scared away from the scene before being able to disassemble other units. “They’re hitting the ones (HVAC units) in the back of the churches,” and that makes determining when the crimes are taking place difficult. “They could be doing it during the day,” he said, “they’re able to get everything in about five minutes” per unit.

The latest theft, listed as vandalism at the time, left the church with over $2,000 in damages. The churches are not being entered in order to steal the copper tubing used in the HVAC units.

Early Wednesday night deputies and investigators were at another unidentified church on the 1600 block of McCreight Road in Johnston due to another theft not far from the earlier reported incident. That case is currently under investigation at press time and details are limited but are believed to be related to the previous incidents.

In all area churches have suffered well above $20,000 in damages due to the rash of crimes. “We really want to get them,” Doran said.

Investigator Doran said the Sheriff’s Office is asking church members to keep a close eye on their local church on a daily basis. If church members are driving by their local church they are asked to drive around the church and check on things during the day and at night. This will help in two ways; first to help protect the churches from being hit by the thieves, and secondly by narrowing down the time of the thefts.

Sheriff’s Deputies have stepped up patrols across the county making additional checks on area churches and led to the latest discovery. Investigator Doran said he has checked with surrounding counties and only Aiken County has reported a similar theft, “It’s pretty much isolated to Edgefield County,” he said.

Anyone with information or reporting suspicious activity is asked to call the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office at 637-5337 or 278-1625.


Related stories:
Another church targeted by thieves
web posted January 17, 2007

Local churches targeted for thefts
web posted January 15, 2007

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