ST. MATTHEWS – Calhoun County authorities are searching for the owners of stolen goods recovered during a raid last week, Sheriff Thomas Summers says.

More than $100,000 worth of stolen property was recovered from a Calhoun County residence, Summers announced Thursday.

“Our first priority now is to return this property to the rightful owners,” Summers said.

Frank Parker, 72, of 46 Midnight Court, St. Matthews, has been released on a $60,000 personal recognizance bond after being charged May 19 with six counts of receiving stolen goods.

“We recovered items from our county and as far away as York County,” Summers said. “They’re from all over. The guy bought stolen goods from all over.”

Several golf carts, utility vehicles, ATVs, utility trailers and power tools were identified as stolen and seized by several law enforcement agencies, he said.

“If it was stolen and you wanted to get rid of it, he bought it,” Summers said.

Summers said the investigation began in the Columbia area with the Forest Acres Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials from Calhoun County worked with the Columbia area agencies, noting similarities in thefts that were occurring in each jurisdiction, the sheriff said.

“(Forest Acres) Lt. Brian Hinson developed the information and contacted us,” Summers said. “Without Lt. Hinson’s assistance, this man would have gone undetected.”

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5516. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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