WINNSBORO – A rash of car break-ins that occurred during the early morning hours of May 1, in and around the Forest Hills neighborhood, netted thieves approximately $920 in merchandise and has Department of Public Safety investigators scouring the area, following up on leads.
Freddie Lorick, Chief of Public Safety, said one or more juveniles are suspected in the eight break-ins, all of which took place between 5 and 9:27 a.m. last Friday. The morning started off modestly enough for the bandits but gradually accelerated, leading up to a foot chase and with little pieces of evidence scattered throughout the area.
The first incident occurred in the 300 block of Palmetto Ave., where someone entered an unlocked car and stole three packs of cigarettes, worth approximately $20. In the 100 block of Cathcart Circle, someone entered an unlocked car and stole electronics worth $200. A break-in of a car parked outside a home in the 100 block of Whippoorwill Road netted thieves video game equipment worth another $200, while a second pilfering of an unlocked car parked outside a home in the 300 block of Palmetto Ave. cost the victim a cell phone worth $300. Someone also entered an unlocked car parked outside a home in the 200 block of Cathcart Circle, stealing a GPS system and loose change worth a total of $150.
Between 5:30 and 6:37 a.m., thieves made a slip-up, leaving a flashlight behind inside a car that was broken into outside a home in the 200 block of Marion Ave. The victim reported only loose change missing.
At approximately 5:49 a.m., the thieves made what was nearly their last mistake of the evening. While attempting to break into a car parked outside a home in the 100 block of Marion Ave., the thieves failed to notice their potential victim sitting on his front porch. The car owner told police he watched as two male subjects walked onto his property and attempted to make entry into his car. He shouted at them and they ran, with the victim giving chase until the two split up and ran in different directions.
One of the suspects, however, ran right out of his flip-flops, which were collected as evidence.
A final incident was discovered at approximately 9:27 a.m., when a man living in the 100 block of Partridge Lane found his unlocked car had been entered and a pair of stereo speakers worth $50 had been stolen. Once more, however, the suspects left behind a calling card – this time a pair of bolt cutters, found on the front seat of the car.
Lorick said investigators had developed some early leads and were also looking into whether any new or out-of-town youth were in the neighborhood over the weekend. Anyone with information on the break-ins is encouraged to call Public Safety at 803-635-4511.
People, lock your cars!!