NORTH, S.C.  – Police stakeouts around the town of North have netted one individual while police seek two others they say will be charged with stealing parts from a church bus earlier this month.

A 21-year-old Bamberg man turned himself in to police Monday and was charged with petit larceny in connection with an Oct. 1 theft of a catalytic converter taken from a North church bus.

Warrants have been obtained against a 27-year-old Ehrhardt man as well as a 19-year-old Ehrhardt man, the latter believed to be driving a getaway vehicle.

Around 11 p.m. Oct. 1, North police were conducting several stakeouts around town in the wake of a series of break-ins at convenience stores.

Across town an employee of the Li’l Cricket called in a suspicious vehicle in the business’s parking lot. But that vehicle, a white Jeep, left before a deputy could arrive.

Meantime, North police spotted a white Jeep traveling on North Road with its headlights off. The Jeep turned into St. Mark’s United Methodist Church parking lot while police watched.

A North Police Department incident report indicates two of the three occupants of the Jeep used flashlights to crawl underneath a Ford bus.

As the Jeep left the parking lot, police pulled in behind the suspect’s vehicle resulting in a high-speed chase at speeds of more than 100 mph. A county deputy joined in the pursuit.

Due to the reckless nature of the Jeep’s driver, the pursuit was called off, North Police Chief Mark Fallaw said.

However, the ensuing investigation led police to the three individuals, Fallaw said.

“One of the things I would like to remind people to do is if they see anything unusual, call law enforcement,” Fallaw said. “The more eyes out there the better.”

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com and 803-533-5516.

You must be logged in to comment.